


Final Fantasy X: Chronicles of the Chosen

by Nightfire731



Series: Clouded Horizons [1]
Category: Final Fantasy X
Genre: F/M, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 22:31:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 62,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3995521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightfire731/pseuds/Nightfire731
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Through troubled times in the land of Spira, summoners and their guardians have stood tall against the beast of destruction known as Sin. When a teenage boy joins a new summoner and her group of guardians on their quest to defeat Sin forever and break its cycle of death and rebirth, will he find his true calling in life, or merely wind up with more questions...?</p><p>First in the Clouded Horizons series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reflections

 

# Final Fantasy X: Chronicles of the Chosen

 

_(Play: Final Fantasy X To Zanarkand Once Again OC Remix (Destiny's Call Opening Theme) - Russell Cox, OC Remix)_

Mid-afternoon. The hottest part of the day. So, in typical fashion for this time of year, I'm not pleased. Hundred-degree weather never really pleased me, and in May, it only gets worse from here.

My choice of outfit probably isn't helping, either.

The white, short sleeved shirt and long, black, khaki pants I'm wearing seem to make my five-foot-nine, one hundred and twenty-three pound frame seem a bit more intimidating...but unless I'm glaring directly at the person, it's still not very scary. Have to give me points for effort, though. Shaking my head at the thought and mentally noting to find myself some shorts after I get back to my room, I start to rummage through the refrigerator for something to drink. My search turns up fruitful as I take out a soda and pop open the top, gulping down some of the drink as I head down the hall leading to my room.

My personal space...isn't very big. With my computer on one wall, bed on another, television and stand as well as shelves on the third, and a dresser on the fourth wall, along with the door leading into my closet, it's definitely enough to make me feel boxed in sometimes. To me, however, it's still mine, and that's all that counts. My game collection, television, and Playstation 2 are sitting on a small desk to the left of my computer desk, which is my next destination as I pick up a game case from the desk, open it and insert the disc, labeled "Final Fantasy X."

I just finished beating the game two days ago. However, curiosity is now getting the better of me. Being the video game perfectionist that I am, I usually go back after I finish games and attempt to, for lack of a better term, completely destroy them. Whether it's by finding very powerful items early on and using them to breeze through, or doing every single secret quest in a game, I aim to clear any game all the way through once I've beaten the main storyline. So, as the Playstation 2 logo appears on the screen, signifying the game's loading status, I mentally begin to run through a list of ideas for how I could prepare.

My train of thought is interrupted, however, by the screen of the television turning to static for a brief second. Reaching over, I tap the television firmly on the side once; being an older television, I know that it seems to be prone to occasional glitching. The static only gets worse and more prolonged for a minute, and then cuts to the Final Fantasy X logo. Shrugging to myself, I pick up the controller, only to drop it again a moment later as the entire screen goes white.

"Stupid television..." I mutter, sighing before standing up and craning my neck to look behind the television.

"Hello."

A strangely familiar voice from behind me causes me to turn...and then I nearly lose my balance, knocking a few assorted papers and game cases off the desk in shock as I realize who is standing behind me.

The fayth. The very same fayth that appeared to Tidus in Zanarkand. The very same fayth that kept watch over everyone through the entirety of the game...is standing right behind me, no less than a foot away.

"This is a dream..." I mutter, shaking my head. "I'm going to wake up any moment now, and it's going to be morning, and I'm going to try and not hyperventilate or something..."

"It's no dream, I assure you."

Reaching out, I carefully move to touch the fayth's shoulder, expecting to feel nothing but air. Instead, my hand meets solid flesh and bone, and I recoil as if I had touched a hot stove.

"...You are real..." I whisper, moving over to my bed and sitting down, never taking my eyes off the fayth.

"In a sense, you might say. I exist...but I'm not real by any means."

A moment of letting the words sink in reveals that he's right, albeit in a strange way. Shrugging the surprise off, I let myself calm down for a moment before speaking again.

"Okay. So you're here...you're real, in a sense, as much as my mind is screaming at me that this is some strange, twisted illusion. Why are you here, then?" I finally say, trying to make some sort of sense of my thoughts.

"My reasoning is simple. I've come because we feel that you could be...a boon to Lady Yuna's pilgrimage across Spira, so to speak."

As much as I expected to hear those words, it still takes me a minute to let them fully sink in. As far as I'm concerned right now, Yuna is nothing more than a character in a video game to me. Is he actually suggesting that other dimensions exist parallel to our own...and for that matter, that I could make a difference in one?

"This is a joke, right?"

"This is no joke, I assure you. I merely came to ask for your assistance. That is, if you're willing to help."

A silence seems to set into the room as the fayth finishes speaking. The logical side of my mind is once again taking over, my thoughts finally calming themselves down as I take a deep breath.

"What will people say if I go? Someone will notice I'm missing, I know," I say, looking over at the fayth, who simply nods, understanding.

"Do not worry. Time flows differently in our dimension than it does here. You may be in Spira for three months, yet it will only be a half hour here," he explains, looking over at me with the same calm expression.

'Only a half hour here, but three months there...incredible. If that's true, then what reason do I have not to go?'

The fayth watches me intently as I try to make my decision, neither of us moving from our spots. Finally, I nod slowly, giving my confirmation to the fayth.

"Okay. I'm in. What do I have to do?"

The fayth nods in response, turning towards the door to my closet and holding a hand out. Blue energy flies from his hands in lines, spinning around each other in an ovular formation and creating a shimmering door of light, standing roughly the same height as the closet door.

"All you have to do is step into this portal. This will take you to Spira. You will have to discover the rest on your own."

Glancing at the glowing door of energy for a moment, I turn away from the fayth, reaching above my head to a wall mount that sits there and removing a long, slender blade, a sheathed katana measuring around three feet in length, with a polished white handle and dark blue sheath. Unsheathing the gleaming silver blade, I check to make sure the edge is suitably sharpened, before re-sheathing the blade and untying a knotted cord looped around the sheath. Quickly and with practiced ease, I thread the cord into the belt loops of my khakis to keep the sheath secure, before knotting it at my waist, leaving the sword hanging at my left hip.

Turning away from the mount, I move to another shelf on the room, finding a small pouch and emptying it of its contents, before tying the cord to my belt and letting the bag fall to my right side. With that task finished, I turn back to the fayth.

"Okay. I'm ready now," I state, taking another deep breath and nodding.

"Very well then. Simply step into the portal, and it will transport you to Spira. Once you are there, the rest is up to you. Choose your path carefully, Benji Powell," the fayth says to me, before vanishing into thin air, leaving no evidence that he had ever been here. Shaking off the momentary shock at the fact that he knew my name, I watch the spot where he stood aimlessly for a minute, as my mind springs back into action.

'So...this is it,' I think to myself, looking around my room slowly, both for anything that I may find useful to carry with me, as well as simply to look at my personal haven once more before I leave. 'I'm not even sure what I'm going to find...but, I guess I'll know when I get there, won't I.'

_(End: Final Fantasy X To Zanarkand Once Again OC Remix (Destiny's Call Opening Theme) - Russell Cox, OC Remix)_

Sighing, I calmly walk into the shining blue portal, feeling a sensation much like falling as the portal closes behind me, leaving me traveling through a dim void. Even as I see a speck of white in the distance grow larger and larger, I can't help but wonder what awaits me in a world that I should know, yet may end up discovering more about than I ever imagined.


	2. Visions

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to be sick for a few hours..." I mutter, shaking my head and putting a hand to my forehead. At the moment, I'm sitting on the ground in an alley, courtesy of the portal that the fayth made for me. Unceremoniously spitting me out into the street, it also left me with a bad case of motion sickness.

"So, this is what Zanarkand looks like, up close and personal."

The city of Zanarkand, home of the Zanarkand Abes. Upon first glance, the city looks to be styled with an olden-day flair. On closer inspection, however, you would see that the city is actually quite modern. Towering buildings and large bridges span the entirety of the grand city, and a massive stadium for a game called blitzball, a game resembling a cross between soccer and football, but played underwater, sits near the center of the city.

Apparently, from the massive amounts of cheering and music that I can hear, there's a game going on right now.

"Maybe I can sneak in and watch," I say to myself, chuckling. "Nah. Too much trouble for too little reward. I've got more to do right now, anyway..."

Looking around at my surroundings, I notice a few people still walking the streets. A few of them give me strange glances, probably because of my clothing, but most simply ignore me, either heading towards the blitzball stadium or along other streets. A huge outburst of cheering from the stadium causes a few people to glance in that direction, as well as letting me know that the Abes must have scored another goal. A small smile creeps over my face as I look up at the stadium, but that smile quickly turns into a frown as I notice something unusual nearby.

Water droplets. Water droplets floating up into the sky of their own accord, to be precise.

"That...could be very bad news," I murmur, fingering my katana's hilt absently and following the water droplets with my eyes. "Where's Auron when you need him..."

The trail of floating water droplets leads up to a very strange sight - namely, a large, spherical ball of water, hovering above and behind the town's buildings. I'm not fooled by the seemingly docile appearance of the object, however. I know what it really is.

"Sin. Lovely," I mutter sarcastically, staring at the ball of water with hate-filled eyes.

Sin. A creature that exists for one reason, and one reason only - to destroy. There is no other meaning to its existence. Death personified, yet concealed cleverly in this strange, yet seemingly harmless facade.

My glare of anger quickly turns to a look of mute terror, as I see faint yellow light coming from the ball. Panicking, I duck back into the alleyway that I came from, curling into a ball beside a large trash can as I hear explosions from above and around me. I can feel the ground shaking as pieces of buildings topple, rubble falling into the alley near me and partially blocking it off. Screams erupt from all directions as people try and seek cover from the unexpected attack, and I cover my head both from the noise and out of fear, remaining still as the city continues to collapse around me.

* * *

The minutes tick by like hours, each minute seeming like an eternity as I wait for the danger to pass, at least mostly. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and try to calm my breathing, relaxing as best I can for what I know is about to happen. Usually, when I'm exceedingly stressed, I'll try to meditate somewhat to ease my mind and body; this seems like a perfect opportunity for that.

"Stay focused...you've got a job to do," I whisper to myself, standing up from where I had taken shelter and unsheathing my katana, watching as the blade gleams against the rubble and fallen metal. As I step out of the alleyway, I nearly run into a tall, older man, wearing what appears to be a large, red robe, despite the fact that it feels like mid-May here as well. A very large sword with strange designs etched onto the blade is strapped to his back, and a sizably large jug of some sort is hanging from the belt encircling his waist. The collar of his robe and the sunglasses sitting on his face only allow me to see some of his face, but I don't need to see his face to know who I'm looking at.

"Auron?"

"Benji. The fayth told me that I would meet you here. You are safe, I see."

"I'm fine," I reply, nodding. A moment later, a figure runs up behind the two of us, breathing somewhat heavily. Obviously, he had been chasing Auron through the streets, apparently with little success.

"Man, Auron, wait up next time!" the boy, looking no older than my own seventeen years, exclaims, stepping in front of Auron.

' _Well, looks like everyone's here...'_ I think to myself, watching as Auron remains silent, instead electing to shake off the boy's words and head down the street in a fast paced walk. The boy follows Auron, jogging to keep up with the warrior, and I take off after the two of them, not wanting to be left behind in the destroyed streets.

Ahead of us, I can spot a large bridge, one of many that apparently exist in the advanced city. The bridge is largely intact, luckily, only a few chunks of stone and metal missing from the overall structure. Several people are running over the bridge as we arrive, just before a very strange thing happens to the surrounding area.

The entire area around us seems to simply freeze completely. Every bit of movement and sound seems to be completely shut out, the only noise a faint ringing in my ears from all of the explosions a few minutes earlier. In front of the three of us, a small figure appears, the same fayth that appeared to me in my room before this began. Calmly, he looks up at the boy beside me, face holding an expression almost resembling curiosity.

"It begins."

"What?" the boy replies, obviously quite clearly confused at the fayth's words.

"Don't cry."

"What the - hey, wait!" the boy exclaims, as the fayth disappears just as quickly as he arrived. A moment later, everything around us goes back to normal, the people continuing to move as if they had never been frozen.

"Look,"Auron says, his sudden speaking seems to jolt the boy out of his momentary confusion. The boy follows Auron's outstretched hand, gasping slightly as he notices the ball of water that I saw earlier hovering nearby the bridge. "We called it Sin."

"Sin?" he repeats, never taking his eyes off of the creature. Another explosion suddenly goes off in the distance, startling me slightly as I turn to look at the source of the noise. Just beyond the side of the bridge, a strange, glowing tentacle seems to have smashed its way through a building, and is now flailing madly for no apparently reason. As it does so, small, scale-type pieces of what appear to be some sort of skin fly from the appendage, twisting and turning in flight before stabbing deeply into the bridge ahead of us.

What appear to be scales really aren't, which becomes apparent as each of the things begin to move, becoming strange, bug-like quadrupeds with two wings extending from their back.

"Sinscales," Auron explains, looking between the two of us. "They may be weak, but they appear in numbers. Don't let your guard down."

"I never do," I reply, lifting my sword up and holding it diagonally in front of me as I slide into a balanced combat stance. The boy tries to fight off several of the creatures at once, but falls onto his back as one of the creatures lunges at him. Auron quickly swats the offending Sinscale away, causing the others to chirp slightly in a high-pitched voice and back away, apparently afraid. Reaching to his side, Auron unstraps another sword, this one a simple-looking long sword, and hands it to the boy, who takes it quickly.

"A gift from Jecht," Auron says, watching as the boy's eyes go wide.

"My old man?" he says, somewhat startled by the words. Another Sinscale steps forward, braver than the rest, and the boy leaps to the attack, swinging the blade wide in an attempt to get the creatures to back off again.

_(Play: Hurry! - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

One of the Sinscales leaps at me now, raising a leg to slash at me with a sharp claw. Instinct takes over, despite all of my martial arts training, and I lash out in a vicious soccer kick that launches the Sinscale back, skidding across the ground.

"Anyone else feeling stupid?" I ask, eyes narrowed at the creatures. "Didn't think so."

A sickening crunch from beside me causes me to turn, and I see Auron's sword embedded into the body of another Sinscale, which is now split nearly in half. The creature's corpse glows for a moment, before bursting into a cloud of small, multicolored balls of light, which fly up into the sky and disappear. The sound of metal meeting flesh sounds again, and more lights fly into the air, the boy beside Auron removing his sword from the mass of muscle and tissue that once composed a Sinscale.

"These ones don't matter!" Auron roars, over the sounds of more falling debris and cracking pavement. "We cut through!"

"I can live with that," I reply with a smile, running up to the nearest Sinscale and launching into a spin, my sword coming around in an arc to both cut deeply into the Sinscale, as well as send it rolling backwards along the ground even as it dissolves into balls of colored light. The other Sinscales quickly move out of our way, leaping onto sides of the bridge or fleeing the other way, obviously frightened at our furious attack. Auron leads the charge, his massive sword held over his shoulder as if it weighs no more than mine. The boy and I are behind him, watching the sides carefully in case the Sinscales decide to attack again.

The warrior leads us down the bridge with good speed, leaving us about halfway down the bridge before we're stopped. The reason? Only that the tentacle from before has found a nice, new home. Namely, sticking out of the middle of the bridge, directly in front of us, accompanied by four of the smaller Sinscales.

"Sinspawn," Auron says, pushing his glasses back up from where they had slightly fallen during the run.

_(End: Hurry! - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

"Ammes, I believe," I mutter, looking up at the creature. The boy moves to launch an attack at the Sinscales in front of the Sinspawn, but Auron holds his sword out in front of the boy, blocking his path.

"Stand back. I'll handle this."

With that, Auron thrusts his left hand forward, pulling his sword back and onto his shoulder while leaning his entire body back. Orange light glows around him for a brief moment, being pulled into his sword, and the entire blade shines a bright reddish-orange color as Auron suddenly leaps straight up into the air, coming down and stabbing his sword into the ground hard. The energy from the blade vanishes, reappearing as fountains of orange energy that practically _melt_ the offending Sinscales, and cause an eerie screech of pain from the Sinspawn.

' _Now that's power...that Dragon Fang attack is brutal.'_

Auron calmly removes his sword from the ground, lifting it back onto his shoulder and looking at the Sinspawn, just as a ball of dark energy begins to glow in front of the creature. The ball expands as a wave without warning, pulling all of us into the field of energy, and I immediately recognize what the spell is.

The Demi spell, a spell that takes away a certain part of the enemy's energy, wastes no time eating away at us, feeling much like every bit of the energy in your body is sucked away, and then replaced to the point where you feel like you will explode. Finally, the wave of energy fades away, leaving me feeling somewhat drained. Auron and the boy look much the same in terms of energy lost, and the boy growls angrily, standing back up to his full height.

"Get out of my town!" he yells at the Sinspawn, before charging in. His sword shines yellow for an instant as he runs, leaping off of a piece of debris into a frontflip, then diving down into a roll, and finally leaping high into the air and twisting, spinning and delivering a powerful slash to the Sinspawn. The sword cuts deeply, black blood oozing out as the boy cuts a tear in the Sinspawn nearly from top to bottom.

Still, the monster stands, however. Another wave of black energy rolls over us, forcefully ripping away more of our energy and sending both me and the boy to a knee. Auron remains standing, however, but is breathing heavily from the looks of things. Without saying a word, he runs at the Sinspawn, the sword moving from his shoulder in a two-handed strike that bites hard into the creature. Auron digs the sword in deeper, before pulling it out and striking again, the monster giving a howl of anguish before its body folds over itself like a tree that has been chopped down. More of the colored lights begin to emerge from the creature's corpse, and Auron motions for us to follow, leaving the very large and very dead monster to fade away.

* * *

What I thought was halfway down the bridge was in actuality no more than a third, apparently. Now, I can see the end of the bridge...except, there's one tiny little problem.

"Well...we're just a little surrounded."

My words are an understatement, really. There are no less than 50 of the Sinscales around us, split fairly evenly between front and back.

"Suggestions?" I ask, looking between Auron and the boy. Auron slowly looks around our surroundings, finding nothing but Sinscales and pieces of bridge for us to use, before his eyes finally settle on something to my right side.

"That - knock it down!" he exclaims, and I finally get a good look at what he's talking about. It's some kind of fuel truck, or was, from the looks of things. Now, it appears to be wrecked on the side of the bridge, the fuel containers which are linked together hanging partially over the side.

"I'll take care of it!" the boy yells, causing me to nod as he starts to run over.

"We'll watch your back! Hurry!"

The Sinscales take that moment to leap to the attack, several rearing up on their back legs and launching what appear to be several spines of some kind from their undersides. Fortunately, the spines are fairly slow-moving, apparently genetically designed more for close-range defense than mid to long-range offense. Auron and I duck under the spines fired at us, the warrior throwing out a sweeping strike and cutting the legs off of a Sinscale that got too close. As we stand back up, I dive right into the middle of the first line of Sinscales, sword swinging out in a spinning, rising arc that cuts into two Sinscales and forces a third to back away, else become the third victim.

Auron wastes no time, smashing a Sinscale into little more than paste with his heavy blade, before moving out of the way of a retaliatory claw strike from another Sinscale. This Sinscale also meets its end on the tip of the blade, this time a stabbing strike that impales the creature from front to back. More Sinscales approach, but Auron rips the blade out and sweeps it out again, the flat of the blade hurling the Sinscales away long enough for him to focus for another strike.

At the moment, I don't believe I'm doing too bad for myself. I have two long gashes on my right leg that are both bleeding, the result of a Sinscale that got too close without my noticing, but several more of the creatures are either missing limbs, or already fading away into colored lights. To me, the Sinscales seem incredibly weak, but they have the advantage of outnumbering us at least twenty to one. I hiss in pain as I feel a burning sensation across my thigh, a large gash in my clothing and skin now visible as I glance down. Spinning in anger, I flip my sword to an overhand grip and stab down, sending the blade straight into the Sinscale's head.

"Got it!"

The irritating screech of metal on metal rings out over the area as the fuel tanks that the boy was working on dislodging finally fall, disappearing from sight quickly. A thunderous explosion sounds from below, part of the bridge behind us simply disappearing from sight and crumbling to the ground below, along with the Sinscales. The Sinscales in front of us chitter to each other and flee, running away from both us and the explosions, as the bridge continues to collapse.

"Let's move it!" I yell to the boy, as Auron and I take off, the boy needing no further persuasion to follow as chunks of metal and stone begin to fall closer to us. The bridge is rapidly collapsing now, and my legs are beginning to ache from the sprinting, prolonged running, and all the fighting. Still, a bit of burning in the legs is a better fate than falling to my death, in my opinion, and so I keep running, never looking back at the scene behind us. The bridge in front of us starts to collapse, prompting Auron to leap to safety on the other side of the bridge, near the end. Apparently, the bridge was constructed in segments, which were then fitted together, explaining why our piece of the bridge is falling and the other piece is still standing.

Pumping my legs harder, I leap into the air, clearing the short leap and landing in a roll on the other side of the bridge. The boy leaps into the air behind me, but comes up somewhat short, his hands latching onto the stone for dear life.

"Auron! Auron!"

"Oh, no, you're not falling that easily," I mutter, scrambling over and grabbing onto the boy's wrists, hauling him up enough to get a foothold on the bridge. Sighing a breath of relief, I sit down for a moment on the bridge as it shudders slightly, the ground still shaking from explosions and collapsing rubble.

"You are sure?"

My attention is drawn to Auron as he speaks, not even looking at us. Instead, his attention is focused on a strange sight in the air, something that appears to be a whirlpool of energy situated above our heads. Auron nods to the sky then, turning around and picking up the boy by his shirt collar.

"This is it. This is your story. It all begins here."

The familiar pulling feeling returns as I feel myself lifted up by some magical force, the whirlpool beginning to suck all three of us into its depths. I may have an idea of what lies beyond the portal, but I can't help feeling a strange sense of foreboding as my body disappears into the whirlpool of energy.


	3. Desertion

The sky overhead is dark and dreary, slow drops of rain falling and melding with the ground and water around us. Kneeling down, I run my hand through the water a bit, before slowly standing up and moving over to the boy lying unconscious on the small island with me.

"Hey. Rise and shine," I say, shaking him. The boy stirs slightly, and I stand up as he moves into a sitting position, running a hand through his hair.

"Where...?" he asks, looking around at our surroundings, which really consists of nothing more than a small island of rock, and a whole lot of water.

"No idea," I reply, shrugging. Holding a hand out to the boy, I watch as he grasps it, pulling himself to his feet and checking himself over for injuries. I turn away as he does so, already knowing he'll find nothing. Whatever the portal was made out of, energy-wise, it completely healed our bodies when we traveled through.

"Anybody there? Auron? Heeey!" he yells suddenly, looking out at the water around us. I just shake my head, watching as he turns around, having gotten no response from his loud outburst.

"So, mind telling me your name?" I ask, watching the water lap at the rocks gently.

"...Tidus," he replies after a moment, causing me to wonder if he trusts me from the tone of his voice. Of course, at this point, I can't really blame him. After all, he just fell through a portal into a place he has no idea of, with a person he's never seen before in his life. I'd be a little distrusting too.

"Name's Benji. But you can call me Ben."

_(Play: Soul Blazer Tears for a Moonlit Knight OC Remix_ _(Ben's Theme)_ _\- Israfel, OC Remix)_

"You from Zanarkand?" he asks, and I nod, lying to prevent him from asking questions that I really don't want to answer. "Think we'll find a way back?"

"Probably," I say, shrugging. "Right now, I think we should worry about getting off this island."

He nods, beginning to comb the area with his eyes in search of a destination. His eyes come to rest on a stone monument a few hundred feet in the distance, some sort of ancient ruins that jut out of the water like a man-made island.

' _Wonder why the fayth chose me specifically...as far as I know, I'm nothing special. There has to be a little more to this than I'm seeing right now.'_

"Looks like we're swimming," he comments, pointing towards the ruins in the distance.

"Works for me," I reply, looking out over the water. Tidus nods, walking over and wading out into the water, before starting to swim towards the ruins, giving me a glance as he does so. Calmly, I make sure that my sword is secured before doing the same, beginning to follow Tidus across the water.

It takes us a few minutes to make it close to the ruins, but soon we can see the ruins up close and personal, the two of us swimming beside pillars and large stones rising out of the water. It looks like it used to be some old temple, but years of weather erosion and disuse have turned it into nothing more than a big pile of rubble in the vague shape of a building. Moss and mold cover pieces of the surface, and a stone walkway that looks like it used to be the entranceway has bits and pieces missing that look like they were beaten out of it.

_(End: Soul Blazer Tears for a Moonlit Knight OC Remix_ _(Ben's Theme)_ _\- Israfel, OC Remix)_

"Well, this place has certainly seen better days," I comment, climbing up onto the start of the stone walkway. Tidus follows after a moment, not saying anything, causing me to shake my head at the boy's silence.

The walkway is much like we had seen from ground level - cracked, chipped, and generally in quite a run-down condition. Just walking a few dozen feet nearly causes me to stumble as my foot gets caught in a crevice. Fortunately, the path isn't too high, maybe 6 or 7 feet at the most.

"Did you hear that?"

Tidus' question snaps me out of my examination of the area. "Hear what?"

"I heard something a second ago," he says, before an audible cracking noise suddenly fills the air. Somehow, I am suddenly filled with dread.

"Just can't catch a break," I manage to mutter, before the stone composing the path simply falls out from under us, leaving us to take a plunge back into the water, bits of stone path leading our descent. Wincing as I hit the water, I watch as Tidus swiftly turns his fall into somewhat of a dive.

' _Must be the blitzball,'_ I think to myself, the both of us surfacing again to catch our breath from the sudden fall.

"Great...now how do we get inside?" Tidus asks, looking at the broken path, far too wide for either of us to leap.

"There has to be another way in," I say, looking for the entrance that I know is present. Unfortunately, I just don't know where. Taking a deep breath, I dive under the water and look around, only taking a few seconds to spot the small, cove-like indent in the wall. It takes me even less time, however, to spot something that I don't like as much. Namely, three relatively small, piranha-looking creatures that appear to be heading right for us. And when I say 'relatively small,' I actually mean about the size of a small dog.

"Uh...we've got a problem," I utter, surfacing and pointing down into the water at the creatures. The both of us fumble for a minute, pulling out our swords and watching as the creatures surround us, looking as if they've found a tasty meal. I don't intend to be fish food so soon, though, and Tidus looks much the same way.

"Does everything want to eat us all of a sudden?" Tidus asks, glancing over at me.

"Hey, they want to eat us, I say we give them something to chew on," I reply, holding up my sword for emphasis as the first fish charges. Leaping out of the water, it tries to score a bite at my face...which provides me with a wonderful place to stick my sword. Watching as the now-gutted fish dissolves into glowing bits of light, I look over at Tidus just in time to watch him drive the blade of his sword into the skull of the other fish, which had apparently tried to swim at him from beneath the water.

"One left," I call, looking down at the third fish. However, a large shadow - make that a very large shadow - approaching from behind the fish makes me stop. The fish turns, just in time to get crunched down on by a set of massive jaws as a strange, shark-like creature with arms turns it into a mid-afternoon snack. The shark tosses the fish's mangled corpse to the side, swimming past us before turning around to face us, jaws opening to release a bellow of anger, or possibly hunger. Either way, I'm not in any hurry to stay and find out.

"What is that thing?" Tidus yells, floating in the water with his sword in front of him.

"I don't know, don't care, and don't plan to stick around to find out. Move!" I yell, diving under the water and swimming for the cove that we saw earlier. Tidus quickly does the same, diving and making a break for the cove as the shark bellows again, taking off after us with speed belying its large bulk. The chase is short-lived, as we dart into the cove with the shark's jaws snapping behind us. However, the shark isn't quick to give up, and slams its body into the hole, perhaps hoping that it will somehow flush us out of hiding, or allow it entry to continue the chase. Unfortunately for it, the opposite holds true. Instead of widening the hole, the entire room shakes as rocks and dirt fall from above, sealing the hole from the outside and leaving a solid wall of wet stone and dirt between us and the outside.

"That was close..." Tidus says, as the two of us exit the small pool of water that we're now in, making our way up a tiny set of stairs onto dry land once again.

"You said it," I mutter, checking to make sure my gear is still in place. "I hate fish."

Tidus just gives a short laugh, shivering as he walks a little farther. The inside of the room is quite cold, actually; it's cold enough to leave me somewhat uncomfortable. Pulling my jacket a little tighter around myself, I start to look around for anything we can use to start a fire with. There are a few old paintings on the wall, and a small desk sitting in the nearly-blocked remains of a hallway. As Tidus opens a door into another part of the building, I jog to the desk, opening it up and pulling out two small flint stones, rolling them over in my hand for a moment before pocketing them.

"This should work," I say to myself, following Tidus through the door he took.

The room beyond resembles some kind of audience chamber or main hall, nothing more than a large, circular room supported by pillars of stone. The room probably looked grand when it was in good condition, but now it's nothing more than piles of debris, with parts of the second floor left cracked or missing entirely.

"Hey," I say, raising my voice to Tidus, who is near the other side of the large room. "Catch." Calmly, I throw the flint rocks to him, which he catches with ease.

"Flint?" he asks, looking at the two stones.

"Yeah. It's cold in here, so I figure we can start a fire if we find something to burn," I reply.

Tidus looks around for a moment, looking for anything that might make good fuel for a fire, before spotting a broken vase in the middle of a pile of wood. The wood, apparently, had been a small end table, but is now nothing more than a pile of exactly what we are looking for - namely, kindling. The vase also holds a bit of dead flowers, which we should be able to use to get a good fire started.

"Looks like we're in luck," he calls over, before stopping and looking up suddenly, seemingly without rhyme or reason.

"Something wrong?" I ask, stepping closer to him.

"Sounded like something was moving up there," he explains, pointing up to the second floor hall, or what's left.

"I don't see any-"

My comment is quite abruptly cut off as I discover that Tidus is, indeed, not hearing things. A strange creature is skittering along the side of the second floor walkway, looking like a disfigured, quadrupedal insect of sorts. Tidus and I both immediately draw our swords as the creature jumps down, landing in front of us with startling agility; it didn't even so much as crack the stone from a leap of what had to be ten to twelve feet in the air.

"What the heck is this thing?!" Tidus exclaims, looking at me. Outwardly, I try to keep a calm demeanor, but on the inside, I'm shaking a little at the sight of the creature. After all, it stands nearly my height on four legs, never mind if it can stand on two.

"Something that will die if we hit it enough," I reply, glancing back over at the boy, but keeping a close eye on the creature. The creature gives a noise somewhere in between a screech and a roar, before leaping to the attack, using its two back legs to spring high into the air and come down towards me with the other two in front of it.

Of course, the height of the leap gives me all the time I need to prepare for the attack and evade it, running to the side and watching as stone cracks underneath where the creature lands. I'm not completely prepared for the creature to sweep its leg out immediately after, though, and the hit sends me flying onto my back, the wind gone from my lungs as I hit the ground. Fortunately, my plight serves as a nice diversion, as Tidus buries his sword into the thing's side, halfway up the blade.

Flipping back to my feet, I lunge out at the creature, which springs back towards where it came from, black blood oozing from the wound Tidus inflicted. Just as I'm about to try for another follow-up strike to capitalize on the creature's retreat...

The door to the room simply _explodes._

Shards of wood and stone fly everywhere around us as the door to the room, which I had shut behind me, explodes violently in a deafening roar of noise and shower of minerals. Several men armed with strange weapons resembling machine guns rush into the room, storming in like a group of elite police officers, closely followed by a girl in a unique bodysuit and helmet. The girl takes one look at the fiend, then mutters something I can't quite hear clearly from the distance. Reaching to her side, she pulls out a small object, pulls something away from it, then lobs it at the creature.

"Tidus, get back!" I yell, recognizing the tactic and diving for cover myself. The grenade goes off in another loud explosion, though smaller than the last, and quite literally dissolves the top half of the creature in the process, leaving the remaining bottom half to sink to the floor. Now a burning, mangled wreck of flesh and bones, the creature begins to dissolve into light as the girl approaches us, followed closely by the armed guards.

"That was close," Tidus says, just before he yelps as a large man restrains him, grabbing and pinning both arms behind his back. Another does the same to me, and I impulsively shake him off and slip out of the hold, bringing an elbow up in a smash that misses, just before two more guards stick guns in my face.

' _Problem...'_

Slowly and deliberately, I put both of my hands over my head, signaling the end of my attempts at resisting. I hadn't planned to, but instinct is taking over a bit more than it should after that battle just now.

"Fryd ec drec?"

One of the men holding a gun to me is the one to speak, motioning to the two of us.

"Y fiend! Eh risyh teckieca!" another replies, gesturing to the remains of the monster we had been fighting earlier.

"Oac! Ed ec cu!"

"We're not fiends!" I protest, but one of the men pulls out a knife, holding it to Tidus' throat.

"Fa gemm ed?"

"Fyed! Fryd ev ed ec risyh?" the girl replies, curiosity filling her voice for an instant.

The man stops for a minute, before pointing the knife at the girl.

"Drao yna dra cysa eh taydr."

The girl seems somewhat angry at the man, seemingly for the insult to her apparent leadership.

"E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk ed fedr ic!"

A moment later, the girl turns away from her companion, stepping up to Tidus. Watching with a bit more than mild interest, I watch her lean close to Tidus' ear, saying a single word just loud enough for me to hear.

"Cunno."

Without warning, she drives her knee into his stomach sharply, making him gasp out in pain and sink to the ground, falling over on his side moments later. As I take a closer look, I see that he is quite unconscious from the shock. The girl turns to me, and I look around at the guards, hands still in the air, before sighing.

"I'll come with you. I don't really have a choice."

The girl nods, motioning to one of the guards, who moves over to Tidus and picks up the unconscious boy, lifting him and placing him over both his shoulders and behind his neck. One of the guards pokes me in the back with his gun, and I start walking, closely followed by two guards. The rest follow us out, with the girl in the very back of the formation.

* * *

Apparently, the way we got in wasn't the only way into the ruins; if anything, we took the hard way in. I'm led out the front, where a large ship is waiting, a crane attached to the bow of the ship that towers above the dock. Obviously, whatever this ship is used for must have at least something to do with salvage operations. As I stop for a moment to look at the ship, the guard behind me jabs me in the back with the gun once more, causing me to grunt.

"Xied bicrehk..." I mutter, causing the guard behind me to stop, spinning me around.

"Oui cbayg Al Bhed?" he asks, and I nod, glad that my memory didn't let me down for once on what I knew of the language.

"...Y meddma," I finally respond, having to take a moment to make sure I was saying it correctly. For once, I'm glad that my linguistic ability is high; it seems to be saving me right now.

The guard simply nods and motions me forward, as a ramp lowers from the side of the ship to the ground. Two guards in front of me lead the way, followed by me, then the remaining guards and the girl. The ramp raises behind us, and the guards fan out over the deck of the ship, while one heads inside. Another drops Tidus unceremoniously onto the deck, motioning for me to take a seat behind him. Not wanting to incur the wrath of several well-armed, well-trained guards, I comply, sitting down on the metal deck of the ship as it makes a slow turn in the water.

"Can any of you understand me?" I ask, looking around the deck. None of the guards seem to pay me any attention, but the girl turns to face me, undoing two clamps on either side of her helmet and taking it off. I can get a good look at her face now that the helmet is off, and I look up to see a young girl that has to be a year or two younger than me, with blond hair twisted into innumerous braids that are decorated with beads and ribbons. The notable feature, however, is her eyes, which are green with swirled pupils. That lone fact makes her stand out a bit more than anything else.

"I can," she says, her voice seeming to just bubble with happiness without even trying.

"Where are we going?" I ask, trying to get some idea of where I'm about to be taken.

"We're going on a rescue mission!" she says excitedly, causing me to quirk an eyebrow. "See, there's this big ship that got lost a while ago-"

"Tu oui drehg ed ec feca du damm res?" one of the men breaks in, apparently the second-in-command or another high ranking member.

"E tuh'd drehg ra'c y drnayd," she replies, putting a hand on her hip and motioning to me. "Pacetac, ra'c ymuha uh drec creb fedr hudrehk pid y cfunt, ykyehcd yd maycd y tuwah uv ic, ymm ynsat fedr kihc. Ajah E tuh'd drehg ra'c lnywo ahuikr du dno cusadrehk."

"Ev oui cyo cu..." the man complains, before walking off. I have no idea what was just said, as they were speaking too fast for me to understand.

"What was that all about?" I ask, blinking and turning to the man who was speaking for an instant, eyes moving back and forth between his figure and the girl in front of me.

"Oh, nothing. He just wanted to let me know something important," the girl says, smiling.

"Oh," I murmur, looking down a little as the girl starts to walk off. "Thanks for the help back there," I say, piping up before the girl is out of earshot.

"Don't mention it!" she says happily, before turning and stepping into a door near the back of the ship. Now left with no one to talk to, I sigh, looking around the ship and watching as the ocean rolls past us, the ship taking myself and Tidus off to parts unknown.


	4. Mysteries

"Hey...wake up..."

Slowly opening my eyes, I glance up slightly to see none other than the face of Tidus staring down at me from his standing position on the deck. Rubbing my eyes for a moment, I stand up, yawning slightly.

"So...where are we?" I ask, and Tidus shrugs.

"No clue. I can't understand anything anyone says on this ship, and they won't even talk to me when I ask."

"Hooray for lack of communication," I say flatly.

"Funny," he groans, still looking over at me. "I'm serious, though. How are we gonna get off this ship if no one can understand a word we're saying?"

"Not everyone here is unable to understand us, Tidus. That girl that helped us back in the ruins? She speaks normal language too," I counter, looking back at the blond-haired boy.

"She speaks Spiran?"

"Uh huh. Only one on the ship that does, as far as I can tell."

Tidus just groans, shaking his head in frustration.

"Just great...we get picked up by a bunch of people we can't even understand, we don't know where we are, and we have no way of getting off this boat."

"Could be worse," I say, turning and beginning to walk away from Tidus. "We could be inside the belly of that thing back at the ruins." As I begin to walk along the deck, the girl steps out again, looking over at myself and Tidus. A second person is with her, this one a tall man with a blond mohawk and a pair of goggles...and he doesn't look very happy.

"Caynlr dras!" he shouts, pointing at Tidus and me before making a gesture to another person on deck.

"What?" Tidus asks, just as another man walks up and grabs Tidus' arms, apparently beginning to check him for weapons or any other dangerous objects. Tidus tries to shake him off, but two guns leveled at him make Tidus consider letting the man finish. The man continues the search, finding nothing of interest besides his sword before moving to me. Apparently, having guns makes them think that our blades won't be of much use if we try to attack them. As he begins to check me over for anything I apparently shouldn't have, I just stand still and let him perform his little search. No sense getting shot over something as simple as this, anyway.

"Tu oui hud cbayg?" the taller man says to Tidus, jabbing a finger into his chest.

"I said I don't understand!" Tidus yells, waving his arm through the air at the man. The guns around Tidus click ominously, daring him to make a threatening move towards the man in front of him.

"Ehcumahla!" the man roars, about to move for Tidus again...before the familiar girl stops him, stepping between him and Tidus.

"Fyed!" she cries, looking directly at the man. He pauses to stare at the girl, then folds his arms as she turns back to Tidus.

"He said you can stay if you make yourself useful."

Tidus stops completely, his mouth falling open slightly.

"You...you understand me?"

' _I already told him that...but does he listen? Nope...'_

One of the men behind Tidus steps forward a little, hitting him in the back with his gun, though not hard enough to really injure him. Tidus yelps a little in surprise, turning, then growls.

"All right, I'll work!" he exclaims, angry at being stricken so many times for no good reason.

"What about you?" the girl asks me. I just shrug a little.

"I guess so. Not much else to do besides sit on the ship."

"Then you'll both need suits. Wait here," she replies, walking back towards the cabin of the ship. A few moments later, she walks back out with two of what appear to be diving suits, shoving one into Tidus' hands as well as my own. "Put those on."

Complying, I unzip the suit, beginning to pull it on over my regular clothes after taking the sword off of my side. The suit is a fairly good fit, pretty comfortable even over my clothes. Tidus does much the same, with a small bit more difficulty, and we each replace our blades on the outside of each of our suits, before pulling on a pair of goggles.

"Ready," I tell her, giving her a thumbs-up...before stopping. "Wait. No air tanks?"

Rikku looks at me for a moment, slightly confused.

"You mean you don't know?"

"Don't know...what, exactly?"

I'm not quite sure what I should know, but thankfully, she seems to just disregard my obliviousness to the knowledge, instead continuing to explain.

"Spiran water is...well, it's weird. You can breathe it just like you're breathing air. That's why people can play blitzball, too - they don't have to worry about bulky suits and stuff slowing them down. It might take you a minute to adjust to it if you've never done it before, though."

' _Breathable water...what's next?'_

I put a hand to my forehead, shaking my head slowly. "What's the world coming to," I mutter, looking back up at the girl. "Okay, let's get this over with."

She nods, before snapping her fingers, as if remembering something.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot! Let me give you two something that'll help you out if we run into trouble," she says, running back inside the ship.

"Gifts? And here I thought they wanted to kill us both," Tidus says, shaking his head.

"They aren't that bad, you know."

The door opens again, and the girl runs out with something in each of her hands. Quickly, she makes her way back to us before handing each of us a device of some sort. Looking down at it, I see that the device is rectangular in shape and bright silver, with what looks like a screen in the center, a series of arrows for basic directions, and a single blue button. There's a circular indentation on the top of the machine as well. Simple in design, and reminds me somewhat of a video game controller...except that it's only around 4 or 5 inches wide, and less than that in height.

"What is this thing?" Tidus asks, looking at the machine with interest and confusion.

"This is the Sphere Grid," she explains, looking over at me and Tidus. "Here, I'll show you how it works."

She reaches over to mine and presses something near what I assume is the 'top' of the machine, a button I didn't notice before. As she does, I feel a strange tingling sensation all over my body, like when a part of your body falls asleep. Seconds later, the feeling is gone.

"What...?"

"Oh, that's part of using it for the first time. I don't really know how that works, but this machine can pick up on your magical energy and use that to determine the best abilities for you to use," she explains. "It's interesting...the technology actually uses fiends against themselves, in a way. Sometimes, if you kill a fiend, a piece of it stays behind as a sphere that represents one of the main strengths the fiend had, like strength or magical ability. If you put those spheres into this slot here," she continues, pointing to the circular indent I had noticed before, "you can increase your own abilities in that area by adding that part of the fiend's power to your own."

"That's neat, but why the little screen?" Tidus asks, looking down at the Grid.

"It's a map, really. The Sphere Grid is also the name that some people give to the innate magical energies that people have, which is where the device gets its name from. This screen is able to show you that map of energy and let you pick what you want to train your body in. It also acts as kind of a guide, letting you think about what your strengths and weaknesses might be and find a way to balance them out. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Incredible..." I say softly, looking over the 'map' of sorts - just a bunch of circles and lines - that's displaying on my screen. While I'm examining the screen, I can see the girl move over and turn Tidus' Grid on much like mine. After she does that, she hands both of us two spheres, smiling.

"I got a few of these off of fiends before I came here. One will help your overall strength, and one will help the total amount of energy you'll be able to use to cast spells, if you have any," she says.

' _So, strength and mana spheres...'_ I think, before inserting the first, a ruby red sphere, into the top of the Grid. The blue button on the Grid turns green for a brief moment, and I feel the tingling sensation again for a second before it fades, the sphere that I inserted no longer in the top of the Grid.I don't feel much of a change, but I repeat the process with the second sphere, a dark blue sphere. Tidus does much the same, beginning to use the spheres he was given as I turn back to the girl.

"I think I've got it," I say, nodding quickly before putting the Grid into one of my pants pockets.

"Good! Well, if you think you're ready, then we can get on with things here!"

Tidus and I both nod, prompting the girl to continue.

"There are some ruins right below us, not too far down. Nothing in them is active right now, but there should still be some power left. We're gonna go down there and activate it, and then we can claim the big prize!" she says excitedly. Quickly, she walks over to one side of the ship, waving to the both of us before leaping over the edge and into the water below.

"Hey, wait up!" I sputter, running and taking a leaping dive over the edge of the ship. Just a second later, Tidus joins the two of us in the water, and I can see the girl diving down ahead of us. Faintly, I can see something below us, apparently the ruins, and I begin to dive to follow her. As I do, I can see bubbles emerging from my mouth, which has to be the strangest thing I've seen since coming here.

' _Amazing...'_

* * *

It doesn't appear to be too far down from the surface, but looks are often deceiving, especially where water is concerned. After what seems to be a good two minutes of diving, we reach the ruins and float outside what used to be a door. The water appears to have rusted it partially, and a large dent can be seen in the upper center of the metal. The girl quickly looks around, before moving over to a panel of some sort and pressing several buttons. The door grinds for a moment, before sliding up, the rust breaking away to float in the water around us as the three of us swim inside.

"Where are we going?" I ask the girl, who glances back at me without stopping.

"Generator room. If I can get it working again, everything will go a lot more smoothly!" she explains, turning a corner with me and Tidus following her.

"Also known as, 'you won't have to rip this whole place apart to get what you want'?" I say with a small smile.

"Funny!" she retorts, before stopping and opening another door, motioning for us to come inside. We move inside the doorway as she moves over to a console, taking a few moments to look it over before beginning to press a series of buttons. It takes nearly a minute, but she finally finishes, and soon after she does I can see faint lights shimmering from outside. Apparently, whatever she did worked.

"Power's on," Tidus remarks, stating the obvious as I nod to him.

"Mission accomplished?" I ask the girl.

"Uh huh! Let's get back to the ship, they'll be able to handle things from here!"

A moment later, she takes off through the water, moving a lot more smoothly than either of the two of us as we follow and soon leaving our sight as she disappears around a corner.

For about two seconds, anyway.

"Get back!"

The yell is enough to cause my hand to drop to its side, ready to draw my blade if anything serious is wrong. As I turn the corner she vanished around, I see that my assumption was right. The girl is now in a large room that we passed through earlier, some sort of multi-story room with a large, circular pillar in the middle...and staring straight into the eyes of a giant, squid-like fiend that I recognize as a beast called Tros. Even as Tidus and I pull our blades out for battle, a grenade goes off in the creature's face, disorienting and stunning it for a brief instant before it bolts, fleeing to the other side of the pillar.

"Fight or run?" I yell, looking over at the girl.

"We need to kill this thing! If anyone else comes down here, I don't want them to be squid food by mistake!" she replies, grabbing a weapon from her side - a small, metal glove with a set of claw-like blades attached to it - and putting it on. Nodding, I bring my blade in front of me, preparing to go around the pillar after the thing. Tidus beats me to it, though. Swimming faster than I thought he could move, he rushes around the pillar and stabs the creature in the side of the 'head', before being sent flying by a swat from one of the squid's tentacles. He isn't hurt at all, it seems, just disoriented from the tumbling. Tros moves away from all of us again after that, hiding as far away from us behind the central pillar as it can get.

"Pretty cowardly little thing, isn't it?" I say, bringing my sword to rest on my shoulder.

"Guess it doesn't want to fight when the odds are against it," the girl says, pulling out another grenade. "Think you can give me a distraction...um...?"

"Benji. You can call me Ben. And yes, I think I can handle that," I reply, nodding.

"Just give me a clean throw," she says, and I smile, taking off towards the creature and stabbing out with my sword, the blade finding purchase within the fiend's slick skin. It swats at me, but I duck out of the way, seeing the attack coming long before it reaches me. Ripping the sword out, I float up some...before jabbing my sword into Tros' eye, earning a mix of a hiss and a screech from the squid as the thing starts flailing in pain.

A moment later, a little metal ball floats right into its mouth, and I turn to see the girl smiling innocently beside me, both of us dodging out of the way of another tentacle.

"Um...run?" she says, before both of us turn and hightail it away from the creature as fast as we can go. Seconds later, a muffled explosion rocks the room...not to mention shredding the creature's stomach and torso from the inside out, leaving nothing but quite a bit of blood and a lot of little balls of light floating around in the water around us.

"What are those things?" Tidus asks, pointing to the balls of light.

"You don't know?" the girl says, seemingly surprised. "They're called pyreflies. Think of them as the things that make up fiends."

"Oh..." he murmurs, watching the balls of light as they begin to float upwards, disappearing through the roof of the room after a while.

"Come on. We need to get back to the ship, so that they can start working on getting what we want from this place," the girl says, beginning to swim out of the building. Tidus and I look at each other for a moment, before following her out and back towards the ship.

* * *

Removing her goggles and helmet, the girl shakes out her blond hair, before walking over to several of the people sitting on deck.

"Fa vuiht dra airship! Dra naluntc fana nekrd!" one of them says to her, raising his hands in triumph.

"Huf, ruf du tnyk ed ib?"

Turning, they all begin to walk to the door leading to the interior of the ship. Tidus starts to follow them, but is stopped by a harsh shove from one of the men standing outside.

"Oui, uidceta!" he says, before turning around and walking inside. Any good cheer that Tidus may have had up to this point is quickly dashed.

"Hey, I helped out too, didn't I?" he says indignantly, before crossing his arms and flopping down beside the door, leaning against the wall. Ignoring Tidus' exclamations of protest, I pull the Sphere Grid out of my pocket again, beginning to examine the on-screen map once again and hopefully learn a bit more about it.

"Strength nodes...agility nodes...looks like it figured out my speed is my best asset," I mutter, glancing over the Grid, before something makes me stop. "Ice Sword? I don't remember that being in the game..."

"What are you doing over there?" Tidus asks suddenly, causing me to look up from the Grid. I just hold it up to him, then return to examining the map. A few seconds later, I hear the door beside Tidus open, and I turn to see the girl walk out with two plates of food. She hands one to Tidus, before turning and walking over to me to hand me the second.

"...Thanks," I say after a moment, putting the Grid away and taking the offered plate. I don't really even know what the stuff is, but it smells good, and at the moment I could really care less. Tidus really doesn't seem to mind, as he is scarfing the food down as fast as humanly possible, perhaps even more so. Taking a spoonful of something that looks like rice, I pop it in my mouth...just in time to hear a gag from Tidus, the younger boy beginning to choke on the food that he was eating far too quickly. The girl runs over, handing him a canteen of water that he opens with haste and begins to drink from.

I just try to suppress a fit of laughter from the sight...then promptly fail, leaning my head over the railing to spit out the food in my mouth before snickering.

"It's cause you eat too fast!" I hear the girl say, and I shake my head, beginning to walk over to the both of them.

"She's right, Tidus. You're eating like it's going to be your last meal or something."

"Excuse me for being hungry!" he shoots back, coughing a little before chucking the now-empty canteen at me. I catch the flying water container with my free hand, handing it back to the girl as Tidus stands up, stretching.

"So...what is your name?" he says to the girl, a bit slowly. Apparently, even after everything that we've just done, he seems to still think she can't understand him. Perhaps I'm just jumping to conclusions.

"Rikku."

Tidus gets a grin on his face, clenching his fists in excitement.

"Woohoo!" he cries. "You really do understand!" Then his grin disappears for a moment, as he speaks again.

"But why didn't you say so earlier?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I didn't get the chance to!" she says, shaking her finger at Tidus. "Everyone thought _oui_ were a fiend!"

"Uh...'we'?" he says, cocking his head.

"Oh, _'oui'_ means _'you'_ in Al Bhed," she explains, making me smirk and Tidus look even more confused, if such a thing were possible. Rikku seems to stop for a moment, looking back at Tidus with a concerned look on her face.

"Wait, you're not Al Bhed haters, are you?"

"I don't even know what an Al Bhed is," Tidus says, Rikku's eyes widening for a brief moment.

"Where are you from?" she asks him.

"Zanarkand. I'm a blitzball player. Star player of the Zanarkand Abes!" he says with pride, causing Rikku to merely look at him with a confused expression.

"Did you hit your head or something?"

"Um, you guys hit me," he replies, as Rikku puts her hand behind her head, sheepishly.

"Oh, right...Do you remember anything before that?" she asks, crossing her arms.

"Well, yeah. It all started when I was play..."

Letting myself tune the two of them out for the moment, I walk over to the railing and lean over it, watching the water bob and churn beneath the ship. It's peaceful here, a lot more peaceful than Zanarkand was. Much more suited to my tastes, I'd say. From the looks of things, it seems like it's only early evening, too, meaning that it shouldn't be getting dark for a while yet.

"Did I say something funny?"

Tidus' words serve to bring me back to reality, causing me to turn and begin to pay attention to the conversation again.

"You were near Sin. Don't worry, you'll be better in no time. They say your head gets funny when Sin is near. Maybe you just had some kind of dream?" she replies, looking at Tidus intently.

"You mean I'm sick?"

"Because of Sin's toxin, yeah."

Tidus frowns. "You sure?"

Rikku puts her hands on her hips. "Yeah, there is no Zanarkand anymore. Sin destroyed it a thousand years ago. So...no one plays blitzball there."

Tidus stays silent for a moment, taking in what Rikku just said.

"What do you mean, a thousand years ago? But, I saw Sin attack Zanarkand! You're saying that happened a thousand years ago? No way!"

Apparently, he's not taking the news very well. Understandably so, I would say. Walking over to Tidus, I place my hand on his shoulder.

"Easy there, Tidus. Just calm down, okay?"

Rikku pauses for a moment, before snapping her fingers, apparently having gotten an idea.

"You said...you play blitzball?" she asks Tidus, who nods. "You know, you should go to Luca. Someone might know who you are, or you might find someone you recognize."

"Luca?" Tidus asks.

Rikku just shakes her head, before starting to walk around in circles for a moment. After a minute, she walks behind Tidus and taps him on the back.

"Okay, leave it to me! I'll get you two to Luca, promise!"

Tidus looks like he's not sure just what decision to make, which I suppose is normal, considering our current situation.

"You'd rather stay here?" Rikku continues.

Tidus gets a shocked expression, before quickly shaking his head.

"Okay, I'll go tell the others. Wait here," she says, turning to leave, before stopping and turning back around, pointing a finger at Tidus.

"Oh, and one thing. Don't tell anyone you're from Zanarkand, okay? Yevon says it's a holy place. You might upset someone," she says, a childish tone to the last sentence, before she turns and walks back inside the ship.

"I can't believe it. A thousand years in the future? No way!" he mutters to himself.

' _Believe it,'_ I think to myself, not saying anything.

Tidus, from the expression on his face, looks like he's either going to cry or hit something as he begins to walk around the deck. Walking over to the crane, he kicks it hard in frustration, wincing as his foot contacts the metal. Almost at the same time, the entire ship begins to shake, bucking hard over the waves below us. Several people run back onto the deck with weapons in hand, but only manage to get themselves thrown down to the ground as the shaking gets even stronger. Tidus manages to get a grip onto the crane to keep himself on his feet, and I grip the railing tightly with both hands to keep myself from falling overboard.

' _I'm gonna be seasick when this is over...'_

"Sin!"

"Sin ec lusa!"

"Ihtan ic! Ihtan ic!"

Tidus and I look at each other, and then out into the water as we both notice what we failed to notice moments ago. Sin is swimming right for the ship, and it looks like it's not about to let anything or anyone get in its way. The deck suddenly erupts into chaos, as the men scramble around, trying to organize some sort of defense from the nearly invincible creature.

"What do we do?" Tidus yells over to me, over the crashing of the waves and the yelling of the men on deck.

"Just hang on!" I yell back. "Looks like it's going to be one bumpy ride!"

Tidus nods, then yelps as a wave flies over the side, smashing into the deck and causing him to slip. He loses his grip on the crane and starts to tumble towards the side of the ship, which is still tilting dangerously, as I let go of the railing to try and get to him in time to keep him from going over.

"Grab the railing!" I yell, running towards him as fast as I can on the slippery, shaking deck. He seems to hear me, and reaches out to grab the railing with one hand just before he goes over the side, leaving him dangling over the water. I reach down quickly, grabbing the railing with one hand as I try to grab him with my other hand. Reaching up with his right hand, he manages to get a grip on my hand...just before another wave slams into the ship, the force causing both of us to let go of the railing and each other. Tidus lets out a scream as he falls into some sort of swirling vortex in the water, and I can only do much the same as I follow him down into the oceanic depths below.


	5. Discoveries

Waking up, the first thing I realize is that I'm still alive. The second thing I notice is that I'm floating, and that almost causes me to drown...or would've, back on Earth. Spitting water, I finally get myself back to a position of treading water, and look around. Tidus is floating face-down in the water, a couple feet from me, and I quickly swim over to revive him.

"Hey, you with the blitzball skills. Wake up," I mutter, shaking Tidus slightly and trying not to sink back under the water as I do so. It takes a few seconds, but Tidus finally stirs, mirroring my own actions as he spits water out and tries to scramble back to a floating position.

"Rikku!" Tidus yells, looking around for any sign of the blond-haired girl.

"She's long gone, I think," I tell him, glancing around the area quickly. Off in the distance, I can see what appears to be a fairly large island, a nice looking beach, and...people?

Definitely people. Things are looking up after all.

Suddenly, I notice an object flying towards us, or rather Tidus, at quite the high speed. Before he realizes what's happening, he gets smacked in the face by a small blue object, roughly the size of a soccer ball. Holding his head, he looks up at the object, before catching it easily and smiling.

"Blitzball!"

"A blitzball, huh...then those people on the beach have to be the ones playing," I say, even though I already know the answer.

"Hey! You okay?" a voice yells from a distance away, apparently having realized what happened. One of the men standing on the beach waves at us, trying to get our attention, causing Tidus to yell back and wave before taking the blitzball and diving underwater.

' _Here it comes...'_

A moment later, the ball comes flying out of the water, followed by Tidus as it begins to ascend quickly. As the ball reaches the apex of its flight, Tidus flips upside down and smashes the ball towards the beach in a perfect bicycle kick. The ball goes sailing towards the beach at twice the speed it flew at us or more, avoiding knocking the person who yelled at us unconscious by nothing more than a few inches, if I had to guess from this distance.

"Whoa-ho!" the man yells, as we start to swim towards the beach, thankful to finally find some land for once.

And no, the cavern we found doesn't count.

After a short minute or two of swimming, we finally manage to drag ourselves out of the cold water and onto the warm, sandy beach of the island, immediately coming face-to-face with around half a dozen men, all dressed in identical uniforms of some sort. The person who gets my attention, however, is the person that Tidus nearly hit. He's dressed in the same uniform as the others, but it's his hairstyle that stands out - tall, orange-colored hair, swept back like a crested wave.

_(Play: Besaid Island - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

' _Bet he stands out in a crowd,'_ I think to myself, chuckling on the inside as the man approaches Tidus, with another one of the balls in hand.

"Yo! Hiya!" Tidus greets, waving to everyone gathered on the sandy shoreline.

"You...wanna try that move one more time?" the man asks Tidus, speaking with an accent that I'd swear was Jamaican if I didn't know better.

I had thought Tidus' smile couldn't get any bigger, but I am quickly proven wrong as he picks up the blitzball and proceeds to demonstrate the move once more, but this time in the opposite direction. Needless to say, much the same results occur, as the ball goes flying over the ocean so quickly it leaves a small wake behind it. Everyone lets out a gasp of surprise, as the man speaks again.

"You're no amateur. Who you play for?" he asks Tidus.

"The Zanarkand Abes!" Tidus replies proudly.

A prompt facepalm from me quickly follows.

"Just ignore him. He got to close to Sin's toxin, isn't that _right_ , Tidus?" I say to him, clapping a hand over his mouth and poking him in the ribs with my other hand. He just nods, unable to really do anything else at the present moment.

"What about you, brudda?" the man continues, looking over at me.

"Me? Ah, I'm fine. It's all clear up here," I say, smiling a little and tapping the side of my head.

"So, Sin's toxin got to you two. But, you're still alive. Praise be to Yevon!" the man says, before doing a gesture that I recognize all too well. Right forearm over the left, they move their hands in a circle in front of them, before moving them into a rough sphere shape and bowing. Otherwise known as what I simply call the 'prayer to Yevon,' or 'prayer gesture.'

"All right, back to practice!" the man finally says with a nod to the others. They begin to disperse off, apparently having been in the middle of blitzball practice when we dropped in, for lack of a better term. "I'm Wakka, coach and captain of the Besaid Aurochs, brudda," he says, introducing himself to me and Tidus with a smile. I smile back, simply bowing for now.

"Ben. Nice to meet you, Wakka," I reply, somewhat watching as the rest of the team resumes their blitzball practice. Tidus' only response is a deep, rumbling sound from his stomach.

"What? You hungry?" Wakka asks, before turning around and shrugging. "Okay! Back to the village, I'll get you somethin'."

"Hey, you two go ahead," I say, stopping the both of them. "I'm not really hungry right now, so I'll catch up later."

"You sure?" Tidus asks me. "You'll be able to find us in this place?"

"Trust me, I'll be fine. I'll meet up with you guys in a little while."

Tidus shrugs, before running to catch up with Wakka, who had gotten ahead while he was talking. Looking around for a minute, I decide to take some time to simply calm down and enjoy the sights and sounds of the peaceful island.

_(End: Besaid Island - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

"And to think, I actually hate the ocean," I murmur, giving a wry smirk at my current location.

My eye falls on a blitzball lying on the ground nearby suddenly, and curiosity begins to get the better of me. Walking over, I pick up the strange object, a blue ball around the size of a soccer ball, but covered in bumps. My assumption is that they're to help players grip the ball, but I could be wrong. Bouncing the ball a bit on my knees, I smile as I lift the ball into the air with a high bounce, before letting it hit the ground once...then smashing it with a powerful kick. The ball sails high and far, over the other players' heads to land easily a hundred feet or more away on the sandy beach. The players stop for a moment, looking at me almost the same way they did Tidus, and I simply shrug.

"What? I play soccer," I say, more to myself than them, before giving a wave and jogging off towards the more wooded environment of the island.

* * *

The more I walk, the more I feel like I could grow to like this place.

The island seems to remind me of home, in a way. Trees, flowers, and other plants in abundance, with plenty of water and a nice beach nearby to relax at. The chirping of birds and rustling of leaves by a faint wind comes from all around me, and just for a moment, I actually feel like I _am_ home again.

That is, until a Dingo fiend leaps out of the trees onto the path in front of me.

"...Well...this is new," I mutter, my hand immediately going to my sword. "Animals don't jump out and try to kill you where I come from, after all..."

I can almost see myself pale a moment later as a second Dingo jumps out to join the first.

"...I just can't get a break," I say, bringing the sword out of its sheath and in front of me. "And I don't have any magic, either..."

_(Play: Sinister Sundown_ _(Ben's Battle Theme_ _) - Yoko Shimomura, Kingdom Hearts II)_

The first Dingo out suddenly snarls, charging at me at a full run, much faster than even I can run. My only recourse is to roll out of the way, but that leaves me now pinned between the both of them...a bad position if I've ever seen one.

"Alright..." I sigh, sweeping my hair back and bringing my sword back in front of me in a horizontal guard. "Time to go to work."

My sword comes out beside me as I race towards the Dingo that attacked me, determined now to take the fight to it. A cleaving strike from me hits nothing but ground as the fiend evades, and the Dingo lashes out with a clawed paw, my sword snapping back up to block as the claws ring against the metal. A light sword thrust precedes my next strike, a cleaving horizontal slash that the Dingo leaps back from, barely missing the tip of the sword as it does. The second one suddenly jumps in from behind me, and I leap to the side again, watching as the fiend nearly lands on its companion from the evaded jump.

Looking around for anything I can use to my advantage, I find nothing that I could use immediately, and so I decide to go back on the offensive. Going full speed at the fiend again, I charge in, but dodge to the side and strike down diagonally at the last second. Predictably, the fiend evades...but evades right into the blade of my sword this time, not expecting my quick juke and earning a deep cut along its left flank for the mistake. Falling back in pain for the moment, the Dingo lets the other jump at me instead as it tries to recover. Both of its paws come down on my sword as I desperately snap it up, propping my left hand on the underside of the blade for extra momentum. I have to struggle a bit to keep my balance now, with the beast now standing on its two hind legs and almost clinging to my blade with its forelegs.

Not to mention trying to bite my face off in the process.

"Get...off!" I grunt, twisting my sword sharply to each side in an attempt to throw the thing off, before I draw my leg back and smash a foot into its stomach, practically doubling the Dingo over as it lets go of my blade. Quickly, I take the opportunity to finish the fiend off, an unwieldy two-handed stab finding its way into the animal's face. It slumps to the ground and doesn't get back up...but the other fiend is still kicking.

A clawed paw tears across my upper leg, ripping through the material of my khaki pants and tearing three gashes through cloth and flesh. Letting out a cry of pain, I yank my sword into the way of another slash, shifting my weight awkwardly onto my left leg to try and minimize the pain...which, really, isn't helping much. Muttering curses and trying not to yell again, I lift the sword up and _slap_ the fiend with the flat of the blade, distracting it just long enough for me to slash down, nearly cutting an ear off of the animal as it moves its head. Not even thinking now, I sweep the sword out, the blade tearing another cut across the creature's face even as it recoils with a screech.

The Dingo fiend continues to screech and growl at me for a few seconds, now bleeding from cuts along its side and face, before turning and bolting off into the woods. Breathing a sigh of relief, I let out another short yell of pain as I unconsciously shift my weight back onto my right leg.

_(End: Sinister Sundown_ _(Ben's Battle Theme_ _) - Yoko Shimomura, Kingdom Hearts II)_

"...That...really... _really hurts_ ," I mutter, gritting my teeth and putting my sword down before sitting down on the path to examine the cuts. All three of the claw marks are fairly long, several inches if I had to guess, though they aren't incredibly deep - something I am silently thankful for. Blood is flowing freely from each cut, however, and my upper leg is throbbing. I've had some nasty cuts before, but nothing like this.

"No Potions to heal it with, no Cure magic...hope I can even _make it_ to Besaid," I grumble, somewhat sarcastically, before standing back up and grabbing the small pouch from my side. The only thing I can think to do at the moment is press the bag against the cuts to try and stop the bleeding, as I start to walk towards Besaid, trying vainly to ignore the burning in my leg.

* * *

Thankfully, the path back to Besaid isn't a long one.

Within a few minutes of walking - and to my great relief, no monster encounters later - the tiny village of Besaid is in sight. I figure that I've walked about a mile or a little over since I left the beach - a comparatively short distance, really.

"Yo, brudda! Where'd you go? We've been looking for you everywhere," Wakka says as I approach the village entrance.

"Just...enjoying the scenery," I say, a small amount of annoyance creeping into my voice. "And getting attacked by wolves. That's always a plus," I add, taking the pouch from over my leg to show Wakka the cuts. They seem to have at least slowed their bleeding, but there's still plenty of blood. He looks, then grimaces a little, holding up a hand.

"Stay there, brudda. I'll go get you something for that," he says, before jogging over towards one of the huts.

"A couple aspirin would be nice," I mutter, managing a small chuckle as Wakka runs into the tent. A minute later, he comes back out, holding a small bottle with a blue liquid inside of it.

"This Potion's the only thing I could find right now, but it'll do," he says, handing it to me. I look at the vial a moment, before uncorking the contents.

"So, do I drink it, or pour it over this, or what?" I ask, honestly confused for a moment.

"Either one," he says. "It'll work either way."

Shrugging, I drink about two-thirds of the bottle first, before pouring the rest over the cuts. A second or two later, I can feel a warm, almost tingling sensation on my leg as the pain ebbs away slowly, and a very faint glow shines over the cuts as I watch the skin and tissues mend themselves right in front of my eyes. The blood is still there, but there's no sign I was even cut after about fifteen seconds except for my torn pants.

"That's...well...wow," I say, really unable to voice my thoughts any other way as I rub my hand over where the cuts were. "Pretty nifty."

"Yeah, these things are incredible, aren't they brudda?" Wakka says, before motioning for me to follow him. "Come on, I'll show you around here."

"Maybe you can find a way to fix my pants," I say with a grin, causing Wakka to chuckle a little.

"Magic can't do everything," he simply replies, ducking inside the hut he just came out of as I follow him inside. Taking a seat on what could pass for a small bed inside the room, I pull the Sphere Grid that I was given earlier out of my pocket before starting to tinker with it again.

"You've got a Sphere Grid too, huh?" Wakka asks me, spying the device in my hands. "Pretty cool, ya?"

"Yeah...this thing is great. You have one, then?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Best way to help keep fiends off your back," he says, nodding. Glancing back down at the Grid, I press a button to zoom the view out, looking at the general shape of my grid again. It appears to be fairly linear, with very few branching paths at all to make me backtrack. As I move from sphere to sphere, I notice that the Grid is, indeed, almost tailor-made to my strengths - lots of Agility and Evasion nodes, along with a reasonable number of Strength and Luck nodes, but relatively less of the other nodes: HP, MP, Magic, Magic Defense, and Defense. Not only that, but there seems to be a mix of magic and physical attack techniques as well - though, nearly all the magic appears to be either curative or supplemental. The offensive skills appear to be elemental sword skills of some kind, except for one noticeable exception.

"Quick Hit?" I say, more to myself than anything. "Fun..."

"Looks like you're more of an agile fighter, ya?" Wakka comments, and only then do I notice that he had been watching over my shoulder.

"Well, I'm not very strong, but I am quick on my feet...not many people I know can outrun me, at least," I say, looking up and back at him. "I just can't take a hit very well."

Wakka just laughs, clapping me on the shoulder.

"Ah, you'll be fine, brudda. Just be careful, and you won't have to worry about that."

"True enough. Though, nearly getting mauled by a pair of Dingo fiends on the way over here isn't helping my faith in my ability to "be careful" any," I counter, shrugging.

"You just need some experience," he replies, and a grin crosses my face.

"No, what I need is better luck!"

The two of us share a laugh for a moment before Tidus walks in the door, walks over to where I'm sitting, sits down, leans back against the wall...and promptly shuts his eyes. No "hello," no "how are you?" or anything. Not fifteen seconds later, I can almost swear I hear snoring. Wakka and I look at each other at almost the same time.

"Guess he...really wanted a nap," I say, unable to think of anything else to say besides the obvious, before I stand up from my place on the bed. "I think I'm going to check out the temple here. Big building at the back of the village here, right?" I continue, looking over at Wakka.

"That's it. Just don't go through the door in the very back. Only summoners and their guardians are allowed back there," he warns, and I nod.

"Got it. I'll be back in a while," I say, before pushing aside the long flap of cloth serving as the door to the hut and stepping back out into the village.


	6. Chosen

After a good, long look at the temple, it comes to my attention that the structure seems very out-of-place in such an otherwise small and innocuous village.

The temple itself is massive compared to the tiny huts comprising the rest of the village. Stone pillars standing fifteen or twenty feet high line the entrance to the temple, and equally tall, wooden doors decorated with ornate carvings and what look like brass rings for handles serve as the gates to the interior.

"And I thought most churches I knew were big," I mutter, walking up to the doors and grabbing onto one of the rings. Despite the door's size and apparent weight, it swings open nearly as easily as a normal-sized wooden door might, though with a creaking noise that echoes across the large, circular main hall.

The hall itself is even more massive than it looks on the outside. The room is probably a hundred or more feet in width, not to mention height, seeming to have a domed roof similar to some cathedrals. The walls are lined with paintings and murals, depicting what I assume are summoners from ages past.

Several people seem to give me glances, but no one really seems to pay much attention to me...a fact for which I am silently grateful. As I begin to walk around the room, however, something catches my attention. It's too quiet. And...too still?

"Hello again."

The sound of the fayth's voice from _behind me_ nearly makes me want to jump out of my skin, causing me to leap forward, spin, and immediately have my hand on the hilt of my sword before I realize that it is, in fact, just the fayth.

"Don't _do_ that!" I say, trying futilely to calm my jumping nerves. Looking around, I take notice that the strange feeling I had a moment ago was because of the fayth - from the looks of things, he seems to have almost stopped time itself again, like he did back in Zanarkand.

"My apologies," he says calmly, making me wonder if anything truly fazes him. "I see you've discovered the temple."

"Yeah...neat place. Reminds me of cathedrals back home," I reply, glancing around again before returning my focus to the fayth. "So, why all of this?" I add, motioning around to the frozen people around us.

"Do you recall when I told you that you may be a boon to Lady Yuna's pilgrimage throughout Spira?" the fayth asks. Slowly, I nod, not quite sure what he's getting at.

"I'm just a normal kid, though. Why me? Why not anyone else?"

"Perhaps you are not as normal as you would believe yourself to be," he replies, almost nonchalantly.

"...What do you mean?" I hesitantly ask, raising an eyebrow.

"You were chosen because you have a gift. You are a human with potential for more...the potential to become a summoner."

If my brain had been doing loops before, it was doing a trapeze act now.

"Wait, what?! You mean to tell me that I can learn to summon Aeons like Yuna?" I blurt before I can stop myself. The fayth gives a simple nod in response.

"As I said, you have potential for more...what else, I cannot say as of yet. Think of this as a test, a way to determine both just what you are capable of and what you have the potential to become."

"Hold on. You said I can become a summoner...somehow, I don't think that just telling these priests, "Hey, guys, I'm just going in here to pray for the Aeon now!" is going to work," I continue, pointing over towards the door that leads into the back of the temple.

"You will not have to worry about that. We have made sure that you will be believed," the fayth says, smiling. The smile on his face both makes me curious as to what he means by that...and more than a little afraid to ask.

"Wait, what -"

Before I can finish my sentence, or even my thought, the fayth has vanished and time has unfrozen around me, leaving me looking at nothing but empty air. Quietly, I cough, slightly startled by the sudden disappearance, before turning around and staring at the door that leads further back into the temple.

' _Should I...?'_ I think to myself, eyes never leaving the door. _'Why not...he did say he made sure I'd be believed...and it's not like I have a reason to think he's lying.'_

Slowly, I head to the back of the room, towards the doors that almost seem to loom over my head.

"Halt," the priest standing in front of the doors says, stopping me with a hand. "No one is allowed into the Cloister of Trials except for summoners and their guardians."

' _This is it...'_

"I'm an apprentice summoner from this island. Benji Powell," I say, though my stomach feels like it's tied firmly in a knot even as the words leave my mouth. To my surprise, the priest lowers his hand, taking a step to the side to allow me through.

"I wish you luck in the Trials," he says, doing the same gesture of prayer that Wakka and the others had done back on the beach. Nodding, I repeat the gesture, before pushing open the large doors with my hands and stepping inside the hall beyond.

The passageway that lies through the large doors of the temple is decidedly...bland.

Nothing lines the stone walls of the Cloister of Trials except for the occasional torch to light the way, burning with a magical light, and differently colored symbols of the Yevonite religion at points. Other than that...nothing. The area is completely empty.

"Looks like I better hop to it," I say, smirking a little to myself for once. "Let's see how fast I can get this silly trial over with."

Taking a moment to see what I can remember of the layout, I take off down the corridor at top speed, challenging myself to see how fast the puzzle of the temple's Cloister of Trials can be completed.

* * *

"Could've been faster..." I say a few minutes later, leaning on my knees and trying to pull breath back into my lungs. The puzzle itself was simple, essentially comprised of nothing more than a few placements of the correct spheres. I did manage to find an interesting thing while inside the maze-like interior of the Cloister, however - a secret room hidden behind a wall that contained a single treasure chest. Inside was a long staff, shimmering faintly and inscribed with what looked like magical runes.

"Still wish I could identify what kinds of enchantments are on this thing," I mutter, looking at the staff in question - a long, wooden staff colored blue and green, with a similarly colored and decorated ball on the top. While I can't tell what kind of enchantments are on the staff, I do notice that my mind seems to be a bit more focused while holding it. Shrugging the thought away, I stand straight again and walk over to the only other thing in the vicinity - a large, circular platform that appears to be an elevator. Stepping onto the platform, it sinks just slightly, before beginning to descend to the level below.

As the elevator slows to a stop, I'm not particularly surprised to see three people at the bottom of the stairs leading down from the platform.

The first is an older woman wearing a black dress that, at first glance, appears to literally be _made_ of belts. Her long, black hair is done up in a sort of bun, almost reminding me of a Japanese hairstyle.

The second is what appears to be a large, bipedal lion with a gruff expression and a large polearm-type weapon gripped in his clawed hands...or paws.

The third is a young woman, no older than myself, dressed in an intricate outfit that reminds me of a Japanese shrine maiden. She's wearing a white shirt and bluish-purple skirt decorated with silver patterns of stars and tied with a yellow sash decorated with flower designs, along with long, separated sleeves that cover her forearms and hang down below her arms. Her feet are only covered by a pair of white socks, but I can see a pair of brown boots nearby that must belong to her.

"Who are you?" the woman in the black dress asks, face locked in an impassive expression that makes me want to cringe.

"...I'm an apprentice summoner, from here in the village," I say, not wanting to make a move for the moment lest I get skewered by the polearm that the creature is holding. "Benji Powell. I came to pray to the fayth of the temple."

"Another summoner?" the younger girl asks, to which I merely nod. "Where are your guardians?"

"I...don't have any," I state simply, beginning to walk down the stairs in front of me. Thankfully, neither of the two that were on guard make a move towards me.

"A summoner without guardians...do you really think you can defeat Sin on your own?" the woman asks me, her tone holding more than a trace of skepticism.

"I'll know when I get that far, won't I?" I retort, brushing by her and the creature to stand in front of the girl. "So...you must be Yuna."

"Y-Yes," the girl replies after a moment's hesitation.

"It's nice to meet you. Maybe you'll be the one that has the power to stop Sin for good," I say, smiling. Yuna smiles back, before gasping slightly as if remembering something.

"Where are my manners?" she says, looking between me and the two others in the room. "These are two of my guardians - Lulu, and Kimahri," she says, pointing to the woman and the lion creature in turn.

"It's a pleasure," I say, nodding to the both of them. They seem to relax, but I can tell that both of them would instantly be ready to have my head on a stick if they needed to. "I guess I'll just finish what I came here to do," I continue, turning from them and heading towards a door at the back of the room. Before I can take more than two steps, however, a hand on my shoulder stops me.

"Wait...I'll come with you," Yuna says, and I turn to face her before nodding. The two of us begin to walk towards the back of the room, proceeding up a small set of stairs in the middle as we go before coming to an ornate door at the far side of the room, with beautiful carvings and gold trim around the edges. Yuna quietly pushes the doors open, and the two of us wordlessly step into the chamber beyond.

The inside of the Chamber of the Fayth is much like the main chamber of the temple, beautifully decorated with murals of the sky, sea, and land. Pictures of people are etched onto the walls, who I assume are summoners who have defeated Sin before. The whole room has a decidedly solemn air to it, and Yuna and I both fall to our knees, doing the prayer gesture. Reverently, we begin to pray quietly, even though I'm not all that sure about what to say. Several seconds pass before a faint glow catches my attention, causing me to look up. In front of the two of us, a faint aura surrounding it, is an image of a person - a young woman with long blond hair, dressed in robes that seem priestly in appearance. The robes are light pink, light blue, white, and yellow in color, seeming to represent the sky and sun in their decoration.

"Greetings, summoners," the image says, looking down on the two of us. "I am the fayth Valefor. You have prayed for my assistance in defeating the beast known as Sin, and I have answered."

' _I guess not all of the fayth look like little children,'_ I think to myself, as the image of Valefor continues speaking.

"I will lend you my aid, summoners...maybe with your help, Sin's reign of terror will be brought to an end."

The image shimmers brightly, holding out her hands to us as light overtakes the room. A dizzying, faint feeling begins to come over me, and I have to focus in order to stay awake. When the light clears, the sensation begins to fade away along with the light, but I can feel _something_ in my mind. I can't even begin to describe the feeling, but somehow I just know that the fayth's power is inside me, waiting to be called upon.

"This is...different," I mutter, standing up a bit shakily. Luckily, my legs don't feel like giving out on me, but the room does want to spin just a little too much for my liking. Yuna stands up just after I do, and sways slightly before I put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Easy there..."

"T-Thank you," she says, causing me to nod slightly.

"Let's just get back outside. Everyone's waiting, after all."

With no further words, the two of us push open the doors of the Chamber of the Fayth once again, exiting the small room and taking our first steps as summoners.

* * *

The first thing I notice when I walk out is that, unsurprisingly enough to me, Tidus and Wakka have now joined the two guardians in the room. The second thing that I notice is Wakka's expression as he sees me walking back alongside Yuna.

"You're a summoner, brudda? You never told me that!" he says, causing Tidus to look between him and me confusedly.

"You never asked," I reply, smiling and conveniently leaving out the fact that I _also_ didn't know that fact until just recently. As we hit the stairs, I fail to notice Yuna's steps becoming wobbly once again until it's too late. She sways slightly, then begins to fall down the stairs themselves, my hand reaching out too late in an attempt to keep her balanced.

Luckily, Kimahri is already there to catch Yuna, having noticed before I did. She regains her balance and fixes her hair, before standing up straight and speaking.

"I've done it. I have become a summoner!"

I can see Yuna's face practically light up as she says the words, and a satisfied and proud smile comes to the faces of both Wakka and Lulu as they walk over to Yuna. Quickly, I walk down the stairs and over to Tidus.

"I'll be outside...I think I'll let them have their moment," I say, starting to walk back towards the elevator. Without even waiting to see if Tidus heard me, I step onto the elevator and watch as the platform begins to ascend, taking me back up to the Cloister of Trials.

* * *

As I exit the temple, my departure goes largely unnoticed by most of the priests. Some of them congratulate me on acquiring the temple's aeon, making me wonder how they even know I succeeded in the first place.

' _Then again, they're priests. I guess they'd be trained to notice...or something.'_

The large doors swing shut behind me as I walk down the pillar-lined path in front of the temple, and suddenly I realize just how little I have to do now. Talking with Wakka was about the only thing I found to do during the short time I've been in the village, and now that my abrupt mission of sorts is over...I'm beginning to think I'll be bored out of my mind until the night comes.

"Hm...I can sit around here and explore, or I can go back out and try to fight fiends. Safety and potential boredom, or action and potential death..." I mutter to myself, not too enthused at either idea. On one hand, if I go out...well, I could get mauled by a pack of fiends, which wouldn't be pleasant. But on the other hand, if I stay in the village, I might not get a chance to get any practice with my techniques and overall fighting skill against fiends, which could be bad later on when I start running into tougher fiends. No matter how much I may want to help, if I can't fight, I'm just dead weight to a group.

"Alright, that settles it," I say after a couple minutes of contemplation. "Fiend killing wins over sitting around here."

Making sure that my sword is still secured, I start to jog out of the village...before I realize something.

"...I don't have any Potions...or Cure magic," I say to myself, stopping for a moment. "But...I have the ability to use Cure magic, just not yet...which means I have to train in order to be able to use it."

I'm starting to become a little bit irritated at the awkward situation that I've found myself in. Without Potions or Cure magic, it'll be more dangerous for me to go out and fight fiends...yet fighting fiends is the only way for me to become strong enough to use Cure magic, and I don't have any money or anything I could sell for money in order to buy Potions.

"Funny how decisions that seemed simple before now get a lot harder when _you're_ the one with a chance of dying," I say sarcastically, shaking my head and beginning to walk again. I may as well get used to danger, as I did accept this...but that doesn't mean I can't try and figure out ways of keeping myself as safe as possible in the process.

Unlike the last time, I actually spot a fiend before it spots me - this time, it's a bird-like fiend that seems to most resemble some kind of stork, with a long neck and long, skinny legs. A Condor fiend, apparently...and just my luck that I won't have a decent way to hit a flying target if it decides to take to the air. Quietly, I try to slowly sneak up on the fiend, as it's looking the other way and seems to be preoccupied with eating...something. Unfortunately for me, my foot hits a loose patch of dirt and rocks with an audible crunching, which causes the fiend to look up, screeching as it notices me and lifting itself up into the air on its wings.

"So much for that," I say, quickly drawing my sword and holding it in a diagonal guard. Yet, my fears of being unable to attack the fiend are quashed momentarily as I see that despite the fiend's flying, it only appears to be 5 or 6 feet off the ground, easily within reach of my sword...for the moment. The fiend doesn't waste any time charging at me, screeching a challenge as it prepares to lash down at me with its talons like a bird of prey. Raising my sword over my shoulder, I grip it tightly as I wait for the fiend to advance, before slicing down in a cleaving arc that misses, but forces the fiend to ascend and cancel its attack in order to avoid being cut in half. Spinning quickly, I leap in the air and throw a wild vertical swing, hoping to at least nick the fiend, but it also misses, the fiend easily out of reach of my sword by the time it comes down.

The fiend circles around, this time electing to dive down at me with its sharp beak pointed forward in an attempt to pierce me. I start to try the same tactic again, but end up being forced to dive to the dirt in order to dodge, as the fiend is moving faster than before. Also, it appears to have made my fears a reality - by staying up in the air, I can't reasonably attack it, and it's moving too fast when it dives for me to strike. My mind races, trying to think of a way to attack the fiend as I look around the area for anything that might help...before it hits me. Smiling, I switch my sword to my left hand, before running to my left a few feet and snatching something off the ground - a large rock, about half the size of my fist.

"Let's hope I can aim," I say, settling into a throwing stance and waiting on the fiend to dive again. A few seconds of circling later, it obliges me, screeching all the way down. Quickly, I hurl the rock as hard as I can at the fiend, only to have it miss as the fiend approaches me, once again trying to lash at me with its talons. This time, however, I'm ready, immediately gripping my sword again with both hands. Instead of trying to dodge the fiend's strike, I actually leap to meet it, sword coming across in another cleave that the fiend isn't expecting this time. My blade meets flesh, and pretty much tears across the fiend's chest from one side to the other, coming dangerously close to its neck. Even as my sword cuts across the fiend's body, it tries to bite at me with its long, pointed beak, but the impact of my sword winds up keeping the fiend far enough away to connect with the peck.

Startled and thrown off course by not only my leap, but by the strike, the fiend winds up crashing into the ground this time, and I quickly turn around once again and run over to the fiend, stabbing down into its back. The fiend gives another screech and thrashes around violently, but I just back away and let the now seriously-wounded fiend continue to struggle. After a minute of thrashing about, the fiend's movements grow more and more subdued, and the bird's body becomes still, shimmering with energy and turning into glowing motes of light that begin to rise up into the sky - pyreflies. As I watch, however, I can see a faint ball of light gathering in the spot where the fiend died, and it turns into a small, shining sphere after a moment. Curious, I walk over and pick it up, feeling warmth from the item.

"Well done," I hear a voice say, and I see the fayth once again standing nearby, though he didn't scare me this time.

"Thanks," I say, looking over at the fayth, before holding the sphere up to him. "So, exactly what is this?"

"A good question. What do you believe it is?" he says, answering my question with a question.

"A sphere for my Sphere Grid?"

"Correct," he says calmly.

"Then...how did that fiend have it...fiends can't carry things like this around, can they?" I ask, genuinely confused as to how the sphere seemed to appear out of thin air.

"Not on their physical body, no. But the essence of the fiend itself is more than capable of such a feat," he replies...which, if anything, leaves me more confused.

"Care to...explain, maybe?" I ask, putting my sword back into its sheath and pulling out my Sphere Grid.

"A fiend is nothing more than a soul of a dead human, given physical form again by anger and hate, correct?"

"Right..." I reply, listening intently.

"When a fiend is killed, the soul of the human that composed that fiend's essence is often glad to be freed from its "prison," if you will. As a soul leaves its former fiend body, it often uses a portion of the fiend's essence - what made the fiend exactly what it was - to create an item that the living can use. A sort of reward for freedom of the soul, you might say."

It takes a minute of letting this information sink in before I can speak again.

"That is incredibly strange," I finally say, "and yet, it makes a strange amount of sense." Looking at the sphere for a moment, I place it into the circular indent in the Sphere Grid and press a button. The machine glows for a moment, before the sphere seems to get absorbed into the machine, with a small menu coming up a moment later side-by-side with my Grid itself in a split-screen view. I see the number '1' now sitting beside one of the sphere names, and I notice that I can now activate a node representing Agility at the start of my Grid. Pressing the button again, I do just that, feeling a momentary tingle over my body that subsides as the number decreases back to 0.

"There is one more thing I must give you before I leave," the fayth says, holding out an empty hand to me. Light builds around his hand, forming into something that I can't make out immediately, and he hands me a small stack of what I first think are papers. Then I get a closer look.

Money. Gil, to be exact. Quickly, I leaf through the small stack of paper notes in my hand, counting each of them.

"Five thousand Gil?" I say, now at the point of simply accepting the shocks.

"Yes," he replies simply. "It wouldn't do for you to begin a journey without being properly prepared, after all."

"...Thanks," I finally say, not really having anything else to say at the moment.

"Hey! Ben!"

Tidus' voice suddenly breaks the momentary silence, and I turn around to see him standing right outside the entrance to the village. Only absently noticing the fayth to be gone, though I did expect it, I pocket my Grid once again and start to jog back over to Tidus.

"What is it?" I ask as I get close, slowing down to come to a stop in front of the blitzball player.

"You missed seeing Yuna's first summon!" he says excitedly. "It was incredible!"

"I'm sure I'll be able to see it soon," I say, stretching out my right arm. "Did you need something?"

"Wakka just wanted me to tell you that there's going to be a big party tonight before Yuna leaves in the morning to start her journey. He said he doesn't want you to miss it, "ya?" Tidus says with a grin, cracking a joke on the older player's accent. Chuckling a little at how silly Tidus sounds trying to imitate Wakka, I nod.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure I'm there. I wouldn't miss it for the world."


	7. Beginnings

The only sounds in the small room that I'm in are my own quickened breaths and the muffled 'thump' sounds coming from the large, heavy punching bag that I'm pummeling without mercy.

"Sure am glad...that they had one...of these," I mutter, throwing a quick combination of jabs and hooks at the bag with a backhand strike thrown in for good measure. Taking a step back, I place my weight on my left foot and strike out with a duo of side kicks, rocking the bag to the left as I quickly switch my weight to my right leg again and plant a powerful left punch into the bag. The punch partially misses the bag, though, sending me off-balance before I catch the bag to steady both it and myself.

"How long have you been in here?" a voice behind me asks, and I turn to see Tidus standing there, leaning against the wall.

"Eh...hour, maybe two. Nothing better to do than practice, really," I reply, shrugging. "Just trying to learn to chain my strikes better."

"Reminds me of blitzball practice," he says. "We'd train for hours just getting our strategies down, let alone even doing them in the water."

"Just like any other sport," I add, taking off the leather gloves I had been using to cover my hands and dropping them on a table inside the room. "So, has the party started yet?"

"It's starting now," he says, looking just a little like a child who's ready to go outside and play. "Come on, or you're gonna miss it!"

"I'm not gonna miss anything," I retort, taking a drink from a flask of water. "If you're so anxious to get back, go on ahead. I'll catch up with you in a minute."

Tidus just waves at me, heading back out of the room and jogging back the way he came, presumably to the main part of the village.

"So impatient," I say aloud, shaking my head. I'm really not one for parties, but I know I should go to this one. Wiping some sweat from my neck with a towel, I toss the towel into a small bin before heading outside. The sun has set, and the entire village seems to be out and about now, with lit lanterns providing illumination for the village square and paths all around. The smell of food is drifting through the air, though what kind of food it is eludes me - I'm still not sure at all what they eat here in Spira.

Taking a few moments to examine the surroundings, I start looking for anyone that I would recognize. Outside of a hut nearby, I can see Tidus, Wakka, and what appears to be the rest of the Besaid Aurochs having a conversation. Wakka seems a bit more excited than Tidus, and I manage to catch what seems to be the last little bit of an introduction from Wakka.

"...a little fuzzy, so don't mind him if he says anything odd. Come on, say hi,"Wakka says, shoving Tidus forward lightly towards the group of blitzball players.

"Uh...hi, guys," he says, looking over the group of athletes. "So, what's our goal?"

"To do our best!" the voices of at least half a dozen Aurochs reply loudly. Wakka steps up beside Tidus, waving his hands in a gesture of dismissal.

"Nope, we got a new goal now! Our new goal...is victory! To win every match, defeat every opposing team! To bring the Crystal Cup back to our island! That's all we need to do to win! Easy, ya?" he says, pumping a hand into the air in excitement. The other Aurochs seem a little thrown by this at first - what had changed the attitude of their captain? Some of them start to mutter amongst themselves, expressions of disbelief on some faces, before they slowly begin to break into shouts.

"Victory! Victory!"

Chuckling a little on the inside at Wakka's pep talk, I decide to leave the group be and find something else to do. My eyes start wandering over the general area, spotting people laughing merrily and talking about things like the upcoming blitzball tournament in Luca and rumors of events in Bevelle. Standing over near a lantern across from me, however, is Yuna. She seems to be alone for the moment, and I almost can't help but stare at her as she stands in the light.

' _Snap out of it. You didn't come here to check her out or flirt, you came to talk with her,'_ I think to myself, pushing my own thoughts aside and beginning to walk over to the summoner.

"...Hi," I say after a moment, nodding slightly to Yuna as I approach. The girl gives me a warm smile, before performing the prayer gesture as a greeting. I simply smile back, returning the gesture, as she starts to talk.

"Hello...I'm sorry, I don't quite remember your name," she says, her eyes showing confusion as she tries to remember.

"Ben," I answer. "Don't worry about it," I add, waving the issue off. "So...I heard that you're leaving the island tomorrow for your pilgrimage."

"That's right," Yuna replies, her expression changing to one of happiness. "I'll be heading to Kilika in the morning." Her response gives me an idea suddenly, and I put a hand to my chin out of habit, something that I often find myself doing when I start thinking about situations.

"I'll probably be leaving tomorrow myself...would you mind if we went to Kilika together? I don't think I've ever been there," I ask.

"I wouldn't mind, and I'm sure that my guardians won't object," Yuna says, smiling over at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Tidus looking over at Yuna, and I decide to cut the conversation short.

"Thank you. I appreciate it, Lady Yuna. I believe I'll take my leave for now, though. I'll see you and your guardians in the morning," I say, repeating the prayer gesture as Yuna does the same, before I walk off. As I head back to the tent I was staying in earlier, I can see Tidus walking towards Yuna, and also hear several people who appear to be saying things to him.

"You heathen!"

"Stay away from the summoner!"

"You're a bad man!"

' _Friendly bunch, I see...'_ I muse, stopping just outside of the tent to watch Tidus and Yuna. Despite myself, I can't help wanting to know what they're talking about, and so I edge closer to a pair of what look like palm trees, listening quietly to their conversation.

"I'm Yuna. Thank you so much for your help earlier," she says, smiling at Tidus, who places a hand behind his head as he blushes faintly.

"I'm sorry about that. Wasn't that...Wasn't I not supposed to...Guess I...kind of overreacted," he says, fumbling for words. I stifle a giggle, continuing to listen.

"Oh, no. I was...overconfident," she replies, her voice taking on a lighter and more solemn tone for an instant.

Tidus just scuffs a toe into the dirt for a moment before speaking again.

"Um, I saw that aeon thing. That's amazing!" he exclaims, waving his hands out excitedly.

Yuna gets a broad grin on her face, clasping her hands in front of her happily.

"Really? Do you think I can become high summoner?"

Tidus nods. I almost laugh again, thinking to myself about how he probably has no clue what a high summoner is at this point in time. Suddenly, a kid walks up, tugging slightly on Yuna's skirt with a happy grin on his face.

"Lady Yuna, come play with me some more!" the kid says eagerly, glancing back at what I can assume is a group of his friends.

Yuna nods, before turning back to Tidus.

"So, tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow?" Tidus asks, confused by the short statement.

"We're going on the same boat, aren't we?"

"Oh, really?" Tidus replies, having not known about it.

"We can talk more then. You can tell me all about Zanarkand!" she says, before walking off to play with the kid. I can feel my face scrunch up in confusion as I glance from Yuna, to Tidus, and back to Yuna.

"How did she know he was from Zanarkand...?" I mutter, before realization hits me. I left the temple before everyone else did - Tidus probably mentioned something then.

Walking back out from behind my hiding place, I walk up to Tidus just in time to see Wakka approach, who promptly shoves an elbow into Tidus' side playfully.

"She's cute, ya?" he says, grinning broadly at the smaller boy.

"Yeah!" Tidus says, making me smile.

' _If only everyone could express themselves so easily...'_ I think to myself.

"Don't get no ideas."

Wakka's voice, surprisingly enough, is firm and to the point. Tidus just holds his hands up in a gesture of mock surrender. "No promises there, big guy. Hey, but what if she, like, comes on to me?" he asks. Wakka frowns slightly, before smiling again.

"That's not going to happen," he says, turning to look at the both of us now. "If you two get tired, let me know. I had some beds made up for you."

"I might take you up on that now," I say, stifling a small yawn. I don't think I've slept since I got to Spira, and a good night's rest might be deserved now. Wakka just nods, pointing to a hut different than the one I was in earlier, and I head inside, noticing two beds inside for Tidus and myself. Walking over to one, I take off my shoes and socks, putting them beside the bed before flopping heavily onto it. The last thing I see as I fall asleep is the light of the lanterns and torches outside, still shining brightly.

* * *

"I hate you!"

Though I didn't expect to have an alarm clock, it appears that I got one of a different form anyway.

Sitting up on the bed and rubbing my eyes, I glance over at Tidus, who looks like he just got done staring down the one person or thing that he wanted to kill most in the world.

"Nice to know that I'm loved," I say flatly, causing Tidus to blink and turn my way.

"Oh...sorry," he replies, moving to a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

"I guess your dreams weren't pleasant," I remark, also sitting up and beginning to put my socks and shoes back on.

"Not really," he says simply, in a tone that just screams for the conversation to drop. Obliging him, I'm about to get up and walk outside when I hear two voices coming from outside, voices that I recognize as Wakka and Lulu. Motioning for Tidus to be quiet, I instead stand beside the bed, listening to the conversation.

"He does look a lot like Chappu. I was surprised, too, the first time I saw him. But no matter what he looks like, he isn't Chappu," Lulu says, her voice calm. Suddenly, her voice changes, becoming laced with anger. "You shouldn't have brought him here in the first place!" she hisses at Wakka. Sparing a glance outside the door of the hut, I can see that Wakka looks chastised for a moment, before he begins speaking in a pleading tone.

"Yeah, but...he needed our help!"

"Excuses again?" she says.

"Yeah, but..." Wakka stammers, trying to find a way to calm his fellow guardian down. Lulu, however, doesn't seem like she'll have any of it.

"That's it. No more. Enough, Wakka!" she says, making Wakka cringe, before she walks away, leaving Wakka to his own devices. Wakka simply sighs before turning back to walk in the tent, winding up nearly coming face to face with Tidus as the red-haired blitzball player walks inside.

"Ah! Scare me half to death, why don't ya?" he says, jumping back. Tidus gets a sheepish look on his face as he looks at Wakka, but his voice is low and calm.

"So, who's Chappu?"

The look on Wakka's face flashes to anger for a moment as he realizes that Tidus was listening, then to sorrow as he starts to explain.

"My little brother, Chappu. He looked like you."

Giving a small nod of acknowledgment, Tidus speaks again."He's dead?"

Wakka flinches a moment, before answering. "He was with the Crusaders when they fought Sin last year. He didn't make it," he says, hanging his head. "I first heard on the day of the tournament."

"I feel sorry for you. Having a day like that ruined with news that your brother was killed fighting Sin," I say quietly. "Must've been tough news."

"It was tough," Wakka replies, nodding. "But, at least I had my team for support...it made the news a bit easier to deal with, you know?"

Tidus and I both nod, and I cast my eyes down at the ground slightly - I know all too well how Wakka had felt.

"I became a guardian to fight Sin, ya?" he continues, causing Tidus to quirk an eyebrow.

"Revenge?"

"That was the idea," Wakka affirms. "But now, I'm more worried about a stupid game then avenging my brother. Well, after the next tournament, I'll be a guardian full time." Hanging his head again for a moment, he continues. "I know it looks like I'm using you, but I'm not."

"Don't worry. I mean, I owe you a lot. You really helped me out, you know? What I mean is...thanks, Wakka," Tidus says, extending his hand for Wakka to shake. Wakka lifts his hand, but then pulls away, shaking his head slightly.

"Stop, you're embarassing me!"

"Aren't Yuna and the others supposed to be waiting for us?" I cut in suddenly, looking at Wakka.

"That's right," he says. "We better get going, ya?"

"Good plan," I say, picking up my katana and its sheath and beginning to fumble with the cord to loop it around my waist. Wakka stops as we walk out, holding up a hand to Tidus.

"Almost forgot...have something I want to give you," he says, stepping back into the tent, the sounds of things being moved coming from inside the tent a second later. Wakka steps back out after a few moments, holding a shimmering blue sword in his hands, the blade of which appears to be made out of some sort of crystal. Lulu's expression turns to one of quiet shock as Wakka hands the sword to Tidus.

"You're giving this...to me?" Tidus says, surprised, as he hefts the sword and begins to examine it.

"Yeah. Use it well," Wakka replies.

"That's the sword you gave Chappu," Lulu cuts in, her initial shock now having vanished to be replaced by a more stern look, directed at Wakka.

"Well, he never used it," Wakka says, almost bitterly, as he meets Lulu's gaze. "Where's Yuna?" No answer comes from any of us, as I haven't seen the summoner, and apparently no one else has either.

"We're taking the same boat as Yuna, right?" Tidus asks suddenly, glancing to Wakka. "Why do we gotta wait here?"

"Yuna came to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started." Wakka explains, putting both hands behind his head in a relaxed pose.

"The Calm?" Tidus interrupts, a confused expression returning to his face once again. Wakka just continues, ignoring Tidus' query for the moment.

"Since then, she's been like a little sister to me and Lulu. But she had the talent...she became an apprentice. Now, today, she leaves as a summoner."

"This is our journey...we should leave together," Lulu finishes. A bit of motion turns my attention to the steps of the temple, and there I can see Yuna heading down the stone stairs, carrying what appear to be several bags of luggage of some sort.

"You really don't need all that luggage," Lulu says, causing Yuna to stop, putting the bags down at her feet.

"They're not really my things. They're gifts for the temples we're to visit," she explains, causing a small look of disapproval to cross Wakka's features.

"This isn't a vacation, Yuna." he says, frowning slightly. Yuna looks understanding, and solemnly nods, moving the bags to a position beside the door of Wakka's hut.

"I guess...I guess you're right," she says quietly. As she walks up to the four of us, I smile, realizing just how much she means to Wakka and Lulu now.

"Okay! Off we go!" Wakka says, seemingly eager to get the show on the road, so to speak. The rest of us follow Wakka towards the village exit except for Yuna, who spares a small glance backward at the temple, and the place she calls home, before finally turning to follow us.

* * *

The path towards the harbor, thankfully, seems to be mostly uneventful - apparently, fiends aren't as willing to attack when you outnumber them. Makes sense to me, as I know I would want every advantage I can get in a fight, and numbers are one of the biggest advantages you can have. We've been walking for ten minutes or so, and no fiends at all have shown up to try and attack us. As we come to a bend in the path, overlooking the ocean just beyond the path, I watch as Wakka, Lulu, and Yuna walk up to a stone statue that sits beside the path. As one, the three bow their heads and begin to pray, staying still for several seconds before raising their heads and doing the prayer gesture.

"What's going on?" Tidus asks, curious as to the nature of the prayers.

"It's an ancient custom. People leaving the island pray here for a safe trip. Chappu didn't pray that day. Said he'd miss his boat," Wakka replies, a tinge of sorrow seeping into his voice for an instant before leaving. Looking ahead down the path, I can see pieces of rock that resemble buildings, some sort of ruins, that line the path for a distance.

"What are those stones remains of? An older village here on the island?" I ask, wondering.

"No one really knows," Lulu says. "They've existed since our village was settled in the valley, dozens of years ago. Even after all this time, no one has found out why these ruins are here, or who built them."

"Island's just full of surprises," I muse, shrugging and beginning to head towards them to get a closer look. Edging closer to the stones, I bend down to take a look at the wall of a ruined building, or at least what remains of it. Pictures are carved in the wall, but are so faded that I can't tell what they are at all. Running a hand over the carvings, I stop as a sound hits my ears, coming from above me. Something that sounds like a growl...

Looking up, I watch as a blue and white shape leaps off of the top of the ruined structure I'm examining, landing in the middle of the path with a crash. I settle down slightly as I see that it's only Kimahri...and then tense up again as I notice that he doesn't seem to be in the mood for friendly talk.

"What's going on?" Tidus asks, running up behind me, followed by the others. I don't say anything, merely watch as Kimahri brings a long, halberd-like weapon to bear, looking decidedly unfriendly.

"A challenge, huh. Alright. I'm game," I mutter, taking my sword from its sheath and taking my stance - sword gripped in my right hand and held almost across my shoulders with my left hand out in front of me. Tidus also brings his sword to bear, but Yuna and the others just watch, making no movement to attack their fellow guardian.

"What are they doing?" Tidus asks, glancing between Kimahri and the rest of the group.

"Nothing. They know what they're doing - Kimahri's testing us. Don't hurt him," I say, realization hitting Tidus as he nods.

Kimahri lunges from his spot a second later, lashing out with a sweeping blow from the blunt side of the halberd's head. The blade whizzes past as we leap back, just out of range of the weapon, and Tidus dashes in with a lunging strike that Kimahri turns aside quickly with the pole end of the weapon. I step to the right then, attempting to flank Kimahri, before dashing ahead for a horizontal strike from the flat of my blade. Kimahri just leaps left, agile despite his large size, to avoid the hit before retaliating with a thrusting blow from the pole that catches me off guard, taking the wind from my lungs as it jabs me in the gut. Tidus lands a strike then, a strike that thuds across Kimahri's left side and causes the warrior to grimace just slightly.

Kimahri isn't about to take the hit lying down, though, and retaliates with a quick yet powerful swing of the halberd, the flat of the weapon catching Tidus hard enough in the side to nearly throw him to the dirt. Regaining my wind, I decide to change tactics - at range, Kimahri easily has the better of both of us with his longer reaching weapon. Stabbing the blade of my sword into the dirt path, I decide to take the fight to close quarters, leading with a thrusting jab at Kimahri's chest that he blocks, countering with an elbow strike that misses as I twist aside. A side kick from me is rendered ineffective as Kimahri quickly catches my leg, then topples me easily to send me rolling along the ground, uninjured. Tidus has a similar idea about close combat, and lashes out again with the flat of the blade, Kimahri merely catching the blade on the polearm and turning it aside, before throwing Tidus back with a kick. As I get back up, Tidus following suit while rubbing his chest a bit, Kimahri stops, nodding just slightly before turning away and beginning to walk off down the path.

"What's with that guy?" I hear Tidus ask as I reclaim my sword, brushing dirt from the steel blade and sheathing it before turning to face Yuna and the others.

"Kimahri tests those he travels with, to make sure they are strong enough for the trials they may face," Lulu answers. "Strong enough to protect Yuna."

"He's helped raise and protect Yuna since she was a child," Wakka adds. "Makes a mighty fine guardian, ya?"

"I'll say," I reply, glancing down the path for a moment. "So, we keep going?"

"Yes," Yuna says, pointing out towards the way Kimahri went. "It isn't far to the dock now."

Squinting, I can see something in the distance resembling a building, and I notice a ship that appears to now be pulling up to the shoreline, apparently just arriving.

"Time's almost here," I murmur, once again beginning to follow Yuna and her guardians toward the small port.

* * *

The port is a rather modest place, I notice as we arrive. With only two buildings sitting adjacent to a large pier, where the single ship we saw sailing in is now docked, it's even smaller than Besaid Village itself was. The docked ship that we'll be taking reminds me of a fishing boat in size, a bit larger than most, with a large mast and sail that gives it an old-fashioned look to me. Already, I notice that Yuna and the others are climbing aboard, with many people gathered to see Yuna off on her pilgrimage. Some are smiling and waving, others are performing the gesture of prayer or speaking prayers aloud, and still others are crying. Striding quickly towards the boat, I start to move up the large ramp leading onto the deck as Yuna waves goodbye to the gathered crowd, returning the gesture of prayer with shining eyes. I can only imagine how hard it is for her to leave a place she's known as home all of her life, to travel abroad in the hopes of defeating Sin and restoring peace to the world.

"Goodbye," I hear her whisper, still waving, as the ship's ramp raises. The ship slowly begins to move, a breeze catching the large sail and beginning to move us out of the port, with the sun rising high in the sky over Yuna's first steps as a summoner.


	8. Contact

It hasn't taken me long on the ship for me to reaffirm that I absolutely hate boats. Swimming is fine, but I can't stand being on a boat for some reason. Maybe it's the fact that everything looks the same out here.

"Hey, give that back!"

Glancing up from my seat in my cabin, I look out the small window to the deck of the ship in the hope of seeing what is apparently going on outside, with no luck. Sighing, I stand up and walk to the door, pushing it open just in time to see Tidus go running by at top speed, followed by a young girl - apparently, one of the crew of the ship.

"So, uh...explain?" I say, looking at Lulu, who seems to be standing by idly and watching.

"Tidus took a pair of binoculars from that girl to see if he could spot anything out here other than water. He also decided that he wanted to keep them, at least for a time."

"She didn't take too kindly to that," Wakka adds, watching as Tidus runs by again.

"...Should I bother helping?" I ask, following the girl and Tidus with my eyes as they continue their chase around the deck. Wakka just shrugs in reply, and I sigh again, shaking my head as I step away from the two, waiting for Tidus to run back towards me.

Surely enough, a moment later he comes flying down the deck at me like Sin itself is chasing him...and from the look on the girl's face behind him, it might as well be.

"Hey, watch out!" Tidus yells, sparing a glance at the girl behind him even as he continues running towards us.

"I think you should watch out!" I say, before running at him. There's a momentary look of shock on Tidus' face as I approach, followed by confusion as he tries to dodge around me, only to have the binoculars snared out of his hands as I spin around him instead.

"Aw, no fair!" he says, as I hold the binoculars up in triumph.

"Don't tell me you play blitzball, but got out-dodged by a little kid who doesn't even play!" I jokingly taunt, handing the binoculars back to the girl before walking back towards Tidus.

"I didn't expect you to jump in! Two on one isn't fair!" he retorts.

"Tell it to the referee!" I counter, laughing. Tidus shakes his head and starts laughing too, with Wakka joining in a moment later to leave Lulu shaking her head in disbelief at our antics. Sighing, I manage to put a stop to my laughter before I ask Lulu a question.

"Where is everyone else? I haven't seen many of the crew around, or Yuna, for that matter."

Lulu doesn't say anything, but motions to the far corner of the ship, where a fairly modest crowd of people are gathered. Peering closer, I can just see Yuna conversing with everyone from the middle of the group. With a nod of thanks to Lulu, I start to walk over to where the group is gathered.

"Word is that summoner's got noble blood!"

"I heard she's Lord Braska's daughter!"

"You don't say?"

Excited statements and questions fly from the mouths of the assemblage of people, some of which Yuna replies to, some of which she's forced to ignore for the moment due to the sheer volume of statements. Tidus steps up beside me as I watch, listening to the gathered group with interest.

"Yuna seems pretty famous, huh?"

"Yeah...something to do with her father being a famous summoner," I say, glancing towards the taller boy.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You heard about Lord Braska back in Besaid, right?" Tidus gives a short nod, and I continue. "That's Yuna's father."

"Oh...I see," Tidus says, a faint sense of recognition and understanding crossing his features. "It's tough when your father's famous."

"Bet so...luckily, I've never had to worry about fame," I reply, chuckling and walking over to the railing to stare out at the waves as I notice the crowd around Yuna begin to disperse. Looking over my shoulder, I can see Tidus approach Yuna as the two begin to talk, right before they also head to the railing to watch the ocean.

"The wind...it's nice," I hear Yuna say, letting the cool ocean breeze pass through her hair. Tidus seems to agree, but says nothing in reply.

"You're a blitzball player, aren't you? From Zanarkand?" Yuna suddenly asks, catching Tidus off-guard by the sudden and unusual question.

"Yeah," he says, quietly. "You hear that from Wakka? He doesn't believe me at all."

"But I believe you," Yuna responds, turning her attention back to the water.

"Huh?"

"I've heard that in Zanarkand...there is a great stadium, all lit up even at night! Great blitzball tournaments are held there, and the stands are always full!" she says, her voice raising in intensity and sounding truly excited about the idea.

"How do you know that?" Tidus asks, now very curious to know why, or rather how, Yuna would describe something like that.

"A man named Jecht told me," she answers, more calmly now. "He was my father's guardian."

Tidus' face suddenly hardens, eyes firming into a glare at nothing in particular - and I'd swear his face is going red, too. The expression is gone as quickly as it appears, and he turns back to Yuna to speak.

"My father...his name is Jecht."

Gasping in surprise, Yuna quickly does the prayer gesture. "Amazing! You know, our meeting like this must be the blessing of Yevon!"

"Sounds like him, but it can't be him," Tidus counters, gazing out over the ocean once again.

"Why not?"

"My old man...he died. Ten years ago, off the coast of Zanarkand."

Now it's Yuna's turn to turn away from Tidus, bowing her head slightly in reverence. "I'm sorry," she says, voice low.

"He went out to sea for training one day...and never came back. And no one's seen him since then," Tidus says, his voice calm but still seeming to hold a twinge of sorrow despite his apparent feelings for his father.

"Why, that's the day that Jecht came to Spira!"

Yuna turns to look at Tidus, who merely stares at her with a confused look on his face.

"It's true! I first met Jecht ten years and three months ago! I remember...that was the day my father left. The date fits, doesn't it?" she continues, looking excited once more.

"Yeah, but how would he get _here_?" Tidus asks, looking at the summoner.

"You're here, are you not?" Yuna replies, promptly quashing Tidus' argument where it stands.

"She's got you there," I say, turning to put my back against the rail. "Nothing's impossible, you know."

The ride has been peaceful so far, and I'm beginning to hope that things will change for the better. A moment later, that hope is shattered.

A deep rumbling sounds from the water beneath and around us, and our ship begins to tilt and shiver as the water around us churns. Everyone looks around frantically to figure out what the cause is, but one person discovers the reason faster than the others and utters a word that makes everyone on deck panic.

" _Sin!_ "

Immediately, the ship sets into action - some people draw weapons from their person, some ready magical spells for use against the beast or any of its spawn, and two people make a break for large devices on either side of the ship.

"What do you think you're doing?" Wakka cries, getting a look at the devices - large guns containing massive harpoons, big enough to spear most whales clean through and keep going. "Stick a harpoon in him and we'll all get dragged under!"

"Sin is going for Kilika!" the figure manning the right side harpoon gun replies. "We gotta distract it!"

"Our families are in Kilika!" a nearby woman adds, her hands aglow with magical energy. "Forgive us, Lady Summoner!"

Watching the ocean in front of the ship, I get a good look at the massive figure that rises from the deep, its voice leaving a haunting moan to echo across the open ocean and air.

"And we're supposed to fight...that," I mutter, looking at the enormous creature clearly for the first time. "Right..."

"Wait!" Wakka cries, as the two men on the harpoon guns line Sin up in their sights, preparing to fire. "Oh, boy..."

Moments later, the harpoons fire with a thundering roar, the two razor-sharp lances of metal sailing straight and true to pierce deep into Sin's left fin. The massive creature barely acknowledges the impacts, though, both seeming as mosquito bites against its body. A twitch of motion comes from Sin, and I can see movement across its body just before dozens of dots fly from its form, heading straight for the deck of the ship.

"Sinscales!" I exclaim, unsheathing my sword and getting into a ready stance to deal with the creatures.

_(Play: Don't Be Afraid - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy VIII)_

Even as the swarm of Sinscales land on the deck of the ship, I can see more attempting to come aboard by climbing over the thick ropes attached to the harpoons to our ship. Lashing out, I cut a Sinscale across its waist before spinning and chopping down into another, ripping my sword out and stabbing into a third without slowing down. If we're going to survive this, we're going to have to get rid of all these Sinscales before Sin decides to send bigger things after us.

I can see Lulu and Wakka working side by side, precision shots from the Auroch captain's blitzball bashing Sinscales left and right, while equally well-aimed bursts of magic from Lulu burn, freeze, or just plain blast the creatures off of the ship. None of the Sinscales appear to be capable of even getting close to the two guardians. Tidus, meanwhile, appears to be working to protect Yuna, using the sword that Wakka bestowed on him in Besaid to deadly effect. A Sinscale tries to approach him, but gets neatly cleaved in half by the crystalline blade, and Yuna jabs another with her staff before Tidus guts it, throwing his leg out in a kick to knock yet another tiny creature away before resuming his defense.

"Cut the ropes!" I hear a man yell, seeing the approaching Sinscales, and another crewman moves to follow the order. Pulling out a large, machete-like blade, he slashes into one rope in an attempt to cut it as the ship thrashes about, but gets impaled in the chest by a series of spikes shot by one of the Sinscales on the rope. His body falls overboard as another man reacts, raising a hand and blasting both the rope and Sinscale with a Blizzard spell that freezes the rope solid. As the ship lurches again, the frozen material shatters, sending rope and Sinscales alike into the water below. The rope on the left side of the ship is similarly cut with little effort from a rather large weapon - Kimahri's polearm - before the Ronso leaps into battle with a growl, swatting Sinspawn away with ease due to his massive strength and powerful weapon.

"So many of them..." I mutter, cutting the nearest Sinscale down with my blade before twisting aside to dodge a claw strike from another. That Sinscale loses its claw arm moments later, but I realize that it was a trap - I'm surrounded by at least eight of the creatures now.

"Thunder!"

A lightning bolt suddenly sends one chittering creature to the deck, electrocuted, and a flying blitzball knocks one to the side before rebounding to hit another, giving me an opening to kick a fourth out of my way and regroup with Lulu and Wakka as Kimahri tears into the ones left behind.

"Thanks for the save," I say, breathing heavily now and wanting a moment of respite from the situation.

"No worries," Wakka replies, hefting the blitzball again and throwing it into a throng of the fiends, causing it to ricochet and disorient nearly the entire group at once. The ship suddenly lurches violently as a wave catches it at a bad angle, sending water flying over the deck and causing the ship to list hard to one side. Sinscales and humans alike are send toppling, myself included, and I can only watch in horror as Yuna nearly falls into the churning waters, the only thing saving her from certain death being Tidus' hand and the guardrail along the ship's side.

"Yuna!" Lulu exclaims, quickly beginning to cast a brutal series of varied elemental spells on the Sinscales approaching the summoner and guardian.

' _This is bad...there's still more of them than us, and this ship might not make it much longer...'_

Ignoring the aching in my arms from all the swordplay, I grip the blade tightly and get back to my feet, sliding just slightly on the soaked deck as a strange feeling starts to fill my body. Almost like a surge of adrenaline, but not quite...I can't really begin to describe the feeling. Even as I get ready to make a dash towards Yuna to try and help out, though, something comes to mind almost instinctively, and I realize what the feeling is a moment before I speak.

"Spark Waltz!"

Faintly, a yellow shimmer overtakes my body and sword as I begin to run towards Yuna, newly empowered by the Overdrive, and I notice as I cut into the first Sinscale in my way that tiny sparks of electricity crackle over the Sinscale's skin on impact. Two more of the creatures try to get in my way, but two quick slashes put them both down and let me keep running, Yuna and Tidus only a few feet from me now.

"Come on!" I yell, offering my hand to Yuna also as Tidus' grip starts to slacken from all the water. She takes it, pulling herself back to her feet with our help and moves behind us as Tidus bares his sword at the Sinscales again. Another group of six try to make a move, but Tidus cuts one of them down and kicks another away before I can even blink, and a blitzball from behind throws another past us and into the ocean. Striking quickly, I take down two more of my own as a Blizzard spell impales the last, courtesy of a now-approaching Lulu along with Kimahri and Wakka. All at once, a sinking feeling hits me as the energy from the Overdrive dissipates, and I blink a little before grabbing onto the rail behind me to steady myself.

"You okay?" Tidus asks, and I nod, breathing deeply to try and slow my breathing.

_(End: Don't Be Afraid - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy VIII)_

"Just a little tired," I reply. All attention turns back towards the water, though, as Sin gives another loud moan, turning away from the ship and diving under the water. From the churning waves, it looks like it's heading away from us...

"It's running away?" Tidus asks, confused, before he throws a fist into the air. "Alright!"

"No..."

Yuna's voice is full of concern, and she suddenly runs to the front of the ship's deck, Kimahri right behind her as she leans over the guardrail far enough to nearly fall over the edge. The rest of us look at each other and follow, not sure what's going on...and then, we see it. Up ahead, in the distance, I can make out a series of small dots along the coast of what appears to be our destination - the island of Kilika. However, that isn't what catches my attention.

That credit goes to a massive wave of water, twisting and rolling as it heads for the island on an unerring path. All of us can only watch helplessly as we catch sight of a massacre - trees are uprooted and tossed around like leaves in the wind, houses are ripped apart and turned into kindling in an instant, and people are dragged screaming and flailing into the water, unable to do anything but watch as they share their last moments in the face of Spira's embodiment of destruction.

"By Yevon..." I hear Wakka breathe, and Yuna turns away, tears forming in her eyes. I have to swallow to keep from crying myself in the face of the carnage, and even the imposing figure of Kimahri seems to be troubled by the sight.

"...So much death," I murmur, unable to tear myself away from the image. "This is Spira's torment...what Sin truly is..."

I notice halfheartedly that others are joining us at the front of the deck, all of the Sinscales apparently disposed of now, and are bearing witness to the disaster in front of us. With a last, fearful moan that echoes across the area like a siren call, Sin dives into the ocean again, leaving nothing of the port town of Kilika but upturned earth, shards of broken wood...and casualties.

Casualties of the terror that's gripped Spira for centuries.


	9. Tragedy

I can feel a slight rumbling beneath my feet as our ship pulls into port, docking with the remains of the tiny harbor at Kilika. It took us only about ten or fifteen minutes to reach Kilika after Sin's attack, but it felt like an eternity. The ship's captain and crew were thankful for helping defend the ship, and gave each of us a bit of Gil and a few spheres for our Sphere Grids in exchange - enough in my case to allow me my first special skill, with what I can see as my first spell barely two nodes distant.

"I can't believe something like this happened...especially right in front of us..." Tidus says, looking out over the destroyed port town.

"I know...it's like a nightmare," I comment, heading down the wooden ramp to the dock quickly and taking off into the debris before anyone can stop me. At this point, I can only hope that there are some survivors.

Luckily, a few houses farther in did survive the typhoon's onslaught, and from the looks of things have been set up to act as a sort of hospital. From what I can see, though, it isn't pretty. People being taken inside with large and deep cuts, quickly and poorly bandaged with whatever was available. Some unable to move, with broken and shattered legs. Others with even worse injuries, barely holding on to life.

The sound of debris crunching behind me alerts me to the presence of the rest of the group, and a flash of anger hits me as I glance back out at the water in the direction Sin departed. A moment later, I feel a hand on my shoulder and glance back, seeing Wakka behind me.

"Hey...let's just see what we can do here, alright brudda?" he says, and I nod, turning and beginning to survey the area for any survivors that haven't been taken care of already. Kneeling, I begin to overturn a few large pieces of wood with help from Tidus, Wakka, and Kimahri, even as I see several people approaching Yuna to speak with her.

"You are a summoner?" I hear one person say anxiously, an older woman that looks at Yuna with eyes red from crying. Yuna nods, looking back at the woman with an even expression, a far cry from our reactions aboard the ship.

"I am the summoner Yuna, from the temple in Besaid."

The woman, along with her two companions - both older men, one of which I notice is bearing a number of bandages along his arms and chest - seem to sigh in relief at the news.

"Our loved ones...we feared they would become fiends..."

"If there is no other summoner here, please allow me to perform the Sending," Yuna continues, keeping her voice calm.

"Thanks be to ye, m'lady summoner," the bandaged man replies, all three of them performing the gesture of prayer before beginning to lead Yuna away. Lulu follows, keeping watch over the younger girl, even as the four of us continue to move debris in the hopes of finding other survivors of Sin's attack.

* * *

It's been almost an hour now, and we've found no signs of any more survivors among all the wreckage. Several more bodies have turned up, though, to our sadness.

"Wakka."

Lulu's voice carries through the air as she approaches, causing the blitzball captain to lower the tree branch he was holding back to the ground before walking over to meet the mage.

"Yeah, Lu?" he asks, wiping a bit of sweat from his face.

"Yuna sent me to get the rest of you. She's going to be performing the Sending shortly," Lulu explains. Kimahri gives a grunt that I can only imagine is a sound of acknowledgment, and steps past Lulu in the direction that Yuna and the villagers had left earlier. The three of us follow a moment later, with Lulu leading the way towards the small group of intact houses further up the beach.

"Hey, Lulu...?" Tidus begins, turning to face the woman as we walk. "What's a Sending? Are we going somewhere?"

Lulu stops suddenly, causing the rest of us to stop except for Kimahri. A frown is firmly in place across her lips, and she shakes her head in apparent disappointment as she looks at Tidus. "You truly are clueless. Are you sure it's just your memory that's the problem?" she remarks, Tidus' face scrunching into an offended expression as she continues.

"The dead need guidance. Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their learn to live on, and resent those still alive." she says, turning to look out at the water."You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it?"

Tidus says nothing in the face of the information, just giving a short nod to indicate his understanding. "Summoners do this?"

"Yes. That is a task ordained to them by Yevon."

All attention begins to turn to Yuna as she takes her staff in hand and begins to walk towards the edge of the water, leaving footprints in the sand of the beach as she goes. As she reaches the edge of the water, she pauses to look out over the ocean for a moment, head lowering in a brief moment of sadness, before she begins to walk once again. Instead of walking into the water, however, Yuna begins to walk _on top_ of the water, prompting a startled and surprised expression from Tidus and a lesser look of surprise from me. It's not every day that you see someone defying the normal laws of the world like this, after all. After walking out about fifteen or twenty feet from the edge of the water, Yuna suddenly stops and raises her staff to her right side, lowering her head once again in reverence for the dead.

_(Play: Song of Prayer - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

Yuna's movements, though almost assuredly performed for the first time, are both graceful and seamless, as if she's practiced this for years. Spinning around with the staff close to the water, she faces us before bringing the staff over her head, and then lowers it again to repeat the movement. Now facing away from us again, she brings the staff in towards her with the top pointing to the right, before fanning it out again to the right and back inwards. Holding the staff with both hands, she does a slight jump forward on top of the water, kicking her leg out and bending down before arching back and forward with the staff held over her touching the water now, she rises back up and spins the staff several times as something strange begins to happen to the surrounding area.

An eerie cry begins to permeate the area as the torches set up on the beach flare up with blue fire instead of orange, as if in response to the dance. Bright trails of light begin to rise up from the water and surround Yuna, floating and swirling around her as they rise up towards the sky. Even the water suddenly seems to take on a life of its own, forming into a sort of fountain or pedestal under Yuna and lifting her up as she continues the Sending dance. All around us, people are crying at the sight of the dance and the pyreflies around Yuna, but despite everything, I can't find it in me to let my emotion go and cry like everyone else. Instead, I merely watch solemnly as Yuna continues the Sending, following the pyreflies with my eyes as they rise up into the air and slowly vanish.

The last of the pyreflies begin to fade a minute later, and Yuna leaps lightly around the fountain for a moment before pointing her staff sharply downward at the fountain and stopping, the echoing cries beginning to vanish as the pedestal of water begins to melt down into the ocean again. Yuna stands still until she reaches the surface again and then raises her head to look up at the sky, before wiping a tear from her eye and slowly beginning to walk back towards the beach to join us once again.

_(End: Song of Prayer - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

"It must be tough, being a summoner," Tidus says, glancing over at Lulu.

"Yuna chose her own path. She knew from the beginning what it meant. All we can do is protect her along the way...until the end."

"Until the...end? What's the end?"

Even as Tidus speaks, all eyes have turned to him as if shocked that he doesn't know what Lulu is talking about.

"Until she defeats Sin," Lulu replies simply, beginning to walk away as Yuna makes her way out of the water. Yuna notices Lulu heading away from the beach and begins running to catch up with her, stopping beside her guardian as they turn to face each other.

"I hope...I hope I did okay," Yuna says quietly as Lulu puts her arms around her, comforting her like a mother would.

"You did very well. They've reached the Farplane by now. But...no tears next time, hm?"

Yuna looks up at Lulu and gives a small smile before Lulu releases her, beginning to walk back towards one of the houses on the beach with the summoner right behind her.

"She did good, for her first time doing the Sending," Wakka comments, nodding in satisfaction as he watches Yuna and Lulu depart.

"Yeah...that must be a tough thing to do," I say, feeling some small measure of guilt that despite my apparent title as a summoner, I hadn't been able to help more.

"Right now, she needs to rest...Lu knows that. It's probably not a bad idea if we get some rest too, eh?" he continues, looking between all of us.

"Sounds good..." Tidus says, nodding along with Kimahri at the idea.

"You guys go ahead...I think I'm going to hang around out here a bit longer," I say, taking a moment to examine a spot on my finger where a splinter of wood appears to have embedded itself.

"You sure?" Tidus asks, causing me to glance up to him.

"I'm sure. Just go get some rest, or something to eat. Or both," I say, shrugging even as my stomach growls in complaint. Thankfully, Wakka and the others don't say anything more to me, instead beginning to head up towards the houses where Lulu and Yuna went. Carefully, I look back down at my finger and begin to try to remove the splinter, sitting down on the sandy beach as I do so.

' _Why is this bothering me so much?'_ I wonder to myself, clenching my teeth slightly. _'I knew when I got here that there was nothing I could do to help save this island...so why am I feeling so angry and helpless about it all?'_

Tossing the now-removed splinter to the dirt, I stand back up and begin to head towards the group of houses with the others - though, I don't plan to go in just yet. Maybe fighting a fiend or two will make me feel better first. That plan is immediately dashed moments later as Lulu walks back outside, glancing at me before stopping and folding her arms.

"You're upset about something, aren't you."

The comment causes me to stop, locking eyes with the black mage and trying to make my face impassive - I generally don't like having my feelings read, or commented on, the way she just did.

"It's nothing," I mutter, hoping that she won't press the matter further.

"Is it?" she counters, with the same unflinching tone I've quickly come to associate with her.

"...I just wish there was more I could've done here," I finally say, letting out a deep breath.

"I think we all feel the same way. Unfortunately, there was nothing any of us could do, so you're not alone in that respect," Lulu says. I don't say anything for a moment, letting the words sink in.

"I guess you're right," I say, conceding the point to Lulu before deciding to change the subject. "How's Yuna?"

"Tired, but fine. I believe the Sending was a bit tough on her - though, this was her first time performing it as a summoner. It's to be expected."

"Glad she's okay," I say with a smile, wiping a bit of sweat from the back of my neck. "Have you guys decided what we're going to do yet?"

"I believe we'll be heading to the temple later today, once everyone has rested," Lulu answers, to which I respond with a nod.

"Ah...I was thinking about going to train a bit while we wait," I tell her.

"If you want. I'll let the others know where you are."

"Thanks," I say, watching as she simply begins to walk off with no further acknowledgment.

' _I can't imagine that she'd ever get riled up about anything,'_ I think to myself as I begin to walk again, this time towards the path leading into the jungle behind what remains of the village. I haven't made it any farther than a few meters down the path when a voice from behind me yells out to me.

"You're not thinking about going into the jungle alone, are you?"

Turning, I notice that the same bandaged man who appears to be acting as the town elder is walking towards me at a steady pace.

"I was...why? Something wrong?"

"You're either brave, or foolish," he replies. "No one goes into the jungle alone now unless they're looking for death."

My eyes narrow in response to his statement, and I put a hand on my hip.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know about Lord Ochu?" the man asks, slightly surprised, before stopping himself. "That's right, you came from Besaid. I should explain, then."

"Go on," I say, prompting him to continue.

"It started a few years ago, just after the last Calm. This jungle area used to be fairly safe, or at least as safe as it gets with fiends running around and the like. Mostly, there were the usual lupine and bird-like fiends, with the occasional Flan showing up. But about two years after the last Calm began, some villagers came back from the temple saying that they had seen a true monster lurking around out here. Only two of the five villagers made it back here after seeing the plant-like fiend, and they were the ones who gave it the name 'Lord Ochu.' It seems to be fairly intelligent as fiends go, as it rarely attempts to attack summoners and their guardians - it likes easier prey, like other fiends or single people that stray too far into the jungle," the elder recounts, never taking his eyes off me.

"No one has been able to kill it yet?" I ask, my curiosity rising.

"Despite the size, it has an entire jungle to hide in here. It never stays in one place long enough for us to find it and organize a party to kill it, so tracking it is difficult."

"Makes sense," I reply, nodding slightly. "Well, thanks for the warning...I guess I'll just head inside and try to relax for a while, then."

"Wise choice," the man says. "I assume that your party will be heading for the temple soon?"

"Should be," I answer. "They said they were just taking some time to relax after what happened here before they headed to Kilika Temple."

"Then I wish you the best of luck," he says, folding his hands into the familiar prayer gesture once again, which I return.

"Thank you," I say, turning and beginning to head back towards the house where Yuna and the rest are. If nothing else, maybe I can get a bite to eat here after all before we head out again.

* * *

"Hey. Wake up."

Tidus rolls over to face me, opening his eyes and stretching with a slight yawn to find me standing over him with an expression of apathy across my face.

"...Mm...are we leaving?" he mutters, rubbing his eyes momentarily.

"Yeah. They told me to wake you up so we can head for the temple," I say with a nod. Tidus replies with another yawn as he grabs his stuff from beside the bed, which causes me to yawn out of reflex. I'm not particularly tired, luckily - then again, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep right now anyway with everything that's happened.

"Where are they?" he asks, following me as I walk out of the room.

"Outside. They're just waiting on us."

I'm glad that I bothered to look around a bit after I was stopped from entering the jungle. I managed to find someone who was organizing supplies that were recovered from the broken homes, and managed to stock up on a few items with the little Gil I had. I was only able to get a few Potions for the trip right now, but a few is better than none.

"Finally woke him up, huh?" Wakka says, to which I nod as a small smile crosses my face. "Well, looks like we're off, then. On to the temple, where we pray for victory!" he continues, looking pretty excited about something as we all start to head towards the path leading into the jungle.

"Pray for victory?" I ask, hoping to get a little more of an explanation.

"You don't know? High Summoner Ohalland used to live in the Kilika temple here. Used to be a great blitzer and all, too. Blitzballers from Kilika always pray at the temple before they head to Luca for the big games every year - it's like tradition now," he explains, looking over at both me and Tidus.

"Huh...a summoner that played blitzball," I say to myself, now watching the ground more than Wakka or the others.

"Wakka..."

Tidus' voice snaps me out of my momentary daze, and I look up again as he looks towards Wakka.

"Praying for victory's all good...but is this right?" the blond-haired boy asks, looking at his temporary captain.

"Something wrong with enjoying blitzball?" Wakka replies, sounding confused as to why Tidus seems upset.

"Is this really the time?" he asks, a bit quickly.

"This is the only time!" Wakka replies, maybe a bit too sharply than intended. "The players fight with all their strength, the fans cheer for their favorite team. They forget pain, suffering...only the game matters! That's why blitz has been around for so long. Least that's what I think." Tidus looks a bit cowed from the explanation and hangs his head, not saying anything more on the subject as we continue to walk down the path. Only moments later, though, Yuna turns to look at Lulu and begins to speak in a low voice, low enough to keep anyone but Lulu and Kimahri - the two closest to her - from hearing. Lulu's face turns to a frown after a few seconds, and both she and Yuna stop in the middle of the path, causing the rest of us to stop and turn to them.

"What's up?" Wakka asks, wondering about the sudden halt. Lulu, however, speaks up before Yuna can get a chance to.

"She's saying she wants you two with us," Lulu says, pointing at Tidus and myself. Tidus blinks in surprise, nearly taking a step back as he looks at the summoner.

"I want to ask you two to be my guardians," Yuna says quietly, her gaze falling to the ground instead of to the two of us. Now it's Wakka's turn to look surprised as he turns his attention to Yuna, the words sinking in.

"Yuna...this is no time for jokes, ya?" he stutters, looking at the young summoner. Yuna's gaze doesn't move from the ground, obviously somewhat embarrassed by her actions.

"Not guardians, then.."

"We're all going to the temple anyway," Lulu breaks in, interrupting the conversation. "Can't this wait until later?" Yuna slowly nods, her gaze finally moving from the ground to look up at Tidus.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." she trails off, causing Tidus to wave a hand through the air.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm just not really sure what's going on," Tidus responds honestly.

"Lulu's right," I say, hoping to end the awkward conversation. "We probably need to get going again, don't we?"

"Long road ahead," Kimahri says with a nod, speaking for the first time in a while. "Must move quickly."

Thankfully, everyone either seems to agree with Kimahri, or is also eager to end the conversation right here. Silence once again reigns over our group as we walk further down the path, slowly but surely making our way closer to our next destination - the temple here at Kilika Island.


	10. Serenity

The jungle isn't quite what I expected it to be.

I expected the sounds of animals scurrying about, birds flying overhead, trees shifting in the wind...but none of that is here. The entire place sounds dead, only the faintest sounds of leaves and the occasional bird chirping breaking the overbearing silence that seems to hang in the air.

"Something seems...wrong about this place. Shouldn't there be things moving out here? Animals, fiends, whatever...it's like nothing lives in this jungle," I say, looking around to see if I notice any signs of movement at all.

"It is strange," Lulu agrees. "Kilika is known for being lively, but this place seems unnaturally quiet. Be careful, everyone."

"Whoa!"

Ahead of me, I can see Tidus suddenly trip over something on the foliage-covered ground, stumbling forward and nearly falling flat on his face before catching himself on a nearby tree.

"You okay, brudda?" Wakka says, stepping over to Tidus, who nods.

"Yeah...I think I hit a root or something," he mutters, examining his ankle to make sure he didn't cut it seriously or anything.

The rest of us relax a bit, beginning to move forward on the path again when a low sound suddenly begins to echo from all around us, gradually getting louder.

"...What is that?" Tidus carefully asks, looking around to try and find the source. The sound keeps getting louder, and leaves can be heard rustling, branches also seeming to snap directly over our heads before Tidus suddenly jerks away from the tree he was leaning against in surprise.

"What is it?" I ask, still trying to find whatever is causing the sound.

"This tree just moved!" he yells, taking a few steps back. My eyes widen, a sentiment echoed by most everyone else in the group, and I see Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri immediately move to protect Yuna as...something starts ripping itself out from the ground. Something that looks a whole lot like tree roots.

The tree Tidus was leaning against suddenly shakes, seeming to uproot itself from the ground completely and turn to reveal that it isn't a tree at all, but a plant-like creature of some sort. The fiend itself is huge, at least twelve to fifteen feet tall, with long slender roots that extend from the thing's body like several gangly legs. What we took for branches of the "tree" aren't, but are instead equally long tentacles or arms of some sort, ending in thick stalks seemingly designed more for beating prey to death rather than catching it. Similarly, what we thought were bushes around the base of the tree is actually a series of large leaves encircling the bottom of the creature's torso. A large mouth, two or three feet wide with only the top half or so covered by skin, sits squarely in the middle of the fiend's body, leaving a bottom jaw full of jagged teeth exposed. Strangely, no eyes can be seen on the thing's body - apparently, the fiend senses prey some other way.

"...Oh crap," I mutter, taking a few steps back and away from the large monster. The thing, compared to any one of us, is huge. I'm already beginning to wonder how we're going to manage to hurt the thing.

"Yuna, stay close," Lulu says, causing the young summoner to nod. Taking a deep breath, I look back up at the creature, trying to push my fear aside long enough to figure out a way to really hurt the plant fiend. Fire is the obvious weakness, but I don't have any kind of Fire-element attacks - Lulu has Fire magic, I'm sure, but she's the only one that does as far as I know.

_(Play: Normal Battle - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

Kimahri is the first to attack, roaring a challenge to the towering creature and lunging forward, delivering a mighty chop with his poleaxe directly towards the creature's lower torso. The multiple tentacles of the Ochu fiend come down to block, however, leaving Kimahri's axe buried deeply into the bulbous end of one of the arms. The Ronso jerks the axe free, watching as green blood starts seeping from the wound, before backing off again to keep decently close to Yuna.

Wakka's blitzball suddenly flies in, rebounding heavily off the creature's upper torso but seeming to have little effect other than angering it. With a roar, the Ochu gestures with its many arms, and a burst of magical liquid flies from above Wakka, slamming into him and nearly knocking him to the ground from the force. Unable to come up with a suitable plan at the moment, I look to Tidus and nod before the two of us both run in to attack, drawing our swords as we go. Tidus levels a powerful slash not towards the creature's body, but instead towards its root-like legs, hacking into one deeply and nearly severing it from the Ochu's body. My sword is swung horizontally towards what little I can reach of the fiend's body, digging into flesh and skin but leaving little more than the equivalent of a scratch on the creature.

Tidus suddenly goes flying back towards the group courtesy of a hard slap from one of the Ochu's tentacles, and I glance skyward just in time to see one headed down towards me, intent on pounding me into the ground. Right before it hits me, it suddenly bursts into flame, causing the creature to screech at the sudden burning along its arm. Whispering silent thanks to Lulu under my breath, that same breath is knocked out of me an instant later as another arm crashes into my chest, throwing me back and off my feet much like Tidus. I groan, feeling like someone just jabbed me in the stomach with the end of a baseball bat, leaving me with no other recourse but to lie still for a few seconds to get some wind back into my lungs.

Another forceful gesture from Lulu sends fire rippling along the creature's chest, and it lets out another screech before shaking suddenly, sending a wave of spores into the air that begin to fall down on all of us.

"Don't let those touch you!" Yuna yells, moving back in an attempt to get out of the range of the falling spores, with most of the rest of us scrambling back as well. Kimahri charges forward instead, leaping up and hacking straight into the Ochu's chest where the Fire spell struck, causing the Ochu even more pain. Instead of letting go, Kimahri hangs on, using his considerable mass and strength to try and dig the axe's head deeper. Two tentacles suddenly snake around Kimahri, pinning his arms to his body before lifting him - and the axe - away from the creature and throwing him onto the ground with force. Wakka's blitzball flies back in as Kimahri hits the ground, slamming Lord Ochu directly in its "face" and causing a thick, black haze to form above the creature's mouth and apparent head.

"He blinded it..." I mutter, now back on my feet once again. Looking carefully at the creature, I watch as Lulu casts a third Fire spell on it, this time targeting another arm and setting it ablaze with ease. My sword raises again, this time resting on my shoulder as I start to focus and call up the power contained in my Sphere Grid.

"Let's see how well this works," I say, dashing off towards the creature and trying to keep myself low to the ground to avoid being a target. As I near, I raise my sword from my shoulder as a white aura shimmers around it, chilling the air around the blade before I slam it down onto the creature's nearest arm. The arm jerks, frosting over and becoming covered in magical ice in a second or two, and I strike out again at the same arm as quickly as I can. Just as I was hoping, the frozen tip of the arm shatters, falling to the jungle floor and setting the creature to screeching once again. This time, however, it reacts differently.

The roots that are its feet suddenly rise up all at once, before slamming into the ground and digging in deeply. With a bellow, the creature pummels the ground both from above with its arms, and from below with the roots. The result sends the ground all around us shaking and cracking, tearing up the floor of the path like it was made of paper and leaving all of us off-balance and pelted with shards of dirt, pebbles, and tree roots. The force knocks each of us to the ground, shaken by the earth-rending attack, and the Ochu fiend follows it up with a burst of Water magic that slams into Lulu, knocking her down again even as she tries to rise.

"Lulu!" Yuna cries, standing and brandishing her staff quickly as she steps in front of her guardian. She pauses momentarily, concentrating, before bringing her staff behind her as a magical glyph appears underneath her feet. Four beams of bright light emerge from different points on the symbol, rising up and intertwining in the sky before flashing brightly and sending something diving down at us from the air. The moving figure stops just above us, unfurling two colored wings to reveal its similarly multicolored bird-like form, with talons on its feet and a long, sharp-looking white beak extending from a neck of red feathers.

"Do your best, Valefor!" Yuna yells, the aerial Aeon needing no further prompting to dive to the attack. Its sharpened talons dig deeply into the fiend's soft body, and it gives a howl of pain even as it begins to beat Valefor with its remaining tentacles. Valefor doesn't relent, though, flying back to get some distance from Lord Ochu before flapping its wings and sending a cutting burst of wind into the fiend that rips most of the leaves from its body and shreds the tentacle that Kimahri first cut even further.

None of us make a move to attack, with Tidus and I simply standing in awe of the Aeon's power. A Water spell from the Ochu fiend crashes hard into the Aeon's face, dazing it and giving it the chance to knock the Aeon to the ground with a heavy hit from all of its arms at once. Roaring in triumph, it prepares to smash the Aeon again...

Right before a burst of Fire magic strikes it directly in the face, followed by a second. Lulu is back on her feet now, and is gesturing towards the fiend with both hands in alternation, each movement accompanied by a Fire spell that roasts a part of the Ochu's body. With a final gesture from both hands at once, a larger gout of flame cascades along the entire torso of the plant fiend, scorching the entire front of it a sooty black color and leaving it howling in pain. Even as it begins slapping at its chest to try and extinguish several tiny, still burning flames, Yuna looks back at Valefor, who is rising back up from the jungle path.

"Energy Ray!"

The Aeon flies higher, ascending nearly twice as high as it was flying moments ago, before yellow energy begins to collect around its "beak." The energy builds and swirls for a few seconds, before lancing out in a powerful yet thin beam of energy that cuts across Lord Ochu's body horizontally, leaving a deep and immediately sealed wound that suddenly erupts with power, blasting out from the fiend in a small shockwave that blows against us like a moderately strong wind. The Ochu fiend, once the mightiest fiend in the jungle, collapses onto the path with its chest horribly mangled, before it begins to slowly dissolve into a large cloud of pyreflies.

_(End: Normal Battle - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

"Everyone okay?" Wakka asks, looking around at all of us. Past some scrapes and cuts from the flying debris and probably a number of bruises from the Ochu's arms, all of us appear to be in fairly good shape. Most everyone nods, except for me - I'm too busy inspecting a small pile of objects left by the fiend after its death. More glowing spheres, though I can't tell what type just yet. Quickly, I pick up all six of the spheres and walk back over to the group, holding them out to show everyone else.

"The fiend left these behind," I say simply. Everyone in turn reaches out and takes one of the items, with each of us now having one of the glowing spheres. Reaching into my pocket, I pull my Sphere Grid out and insert the sphere into the slot, going through the same process I went through when I was first introduced to the object. As the sphere vanishes, activating another node on the Grid, I can feel my muscles seem to strengthen, toughening my body slightly.

Footsteps behind us cause my attention to shift away from the Grid and the group to look behind us, noticing another small group of people - islanders - led by two men dressed in what looks like some sort of toughened leather armor and carrying long, straight blades in sheathes at their sides. Several of them look amazed, and I realize quickly that they must've seen our fight with the Ochu fiend.

"Lord Ochu...destroyed?" one islander says quietly, disbelieving. "Praise to Yevon! Kilika is safe from the beast at last!"

"A summoner and her guardians," the second armored man begins, nodding out of respect for Yuna. "Very impressive. You have great potential, m'lady summoner." The man performs the gesture of prayer, followed quickly by the rest of the gathered group. Yuna merely stands quietly, blushing faintly out of embarrassment. She doesn't seem used to all the attention yet, apparently.

"Thank you," she finally says, doing the prayer gesture in turn as well.

"Yuna, are you ready to continue on?" Lulu asks, placing a hand on the young summoner's shoulder. "The temple is not far from here." The girl nods in response, and we say our goodbyes to the small party before turning and beginning to head onwards into the jungle, making our way to the temple of Kilika island.

* * *

It isn't long before we find ourselves out of the deeper parts of the jungle, beginning to approach what looks like a massive flight of stairs. Large, stone stairs stretching at least a hundred or more steps high are no more than twenty feet in front of us, with each step easily ten or fifteen feet wide in order to accommodate multiple people at once.

"So, this leads up to the temple?" Tidus asks, looking to his left at Wakka. The older blitzball player simply nods, giving a smile as he steps closer to the stairway.

"These stone steps have a history, you know?" he starts, looking between Tidus and myself. Tidus looks confused, and I simply shake my head 'no' in response, allowing Wakka to continue. "Yep, Lord Ohalland himself trained here at his peak."

"Lord Ohalland?" I ask, stepping up beside Wakka to look at the stone stairs, lined on either side with old trees. "Former summoner, I take it?"

"Lord Ohalland was the High Summoner about two hundred and thirty years ago. Not only that, but he was a very famous blitzer from this island before he became a summoner - people would come from all over the world to watch him play," Wakka explains. "Sad to say it, though, but the Calm he brought was pretty short...no one really knows why, either."

"Interesting..." I say, letting the matter drop. History isn't my strong point, but I figure I'll have plenty of time to learn about it as we go.

"What's the Calm?" Tidus asks, glancing between the rest of the group. Lulu, standing beside Yuna, shakes her head at the question.

"The Calm is a time of peace. It begins when Sin is defeated, and lasts until the beast returns," she explains simply.

"Usually, it's ten years, but sometimes it can be shorter or longer," Wakka adds, picking up where Lulu left off. Tidus nods, seeming to understand the concept, as he walks over towards the steps and gazes up their length.

"Anyone want to race?" he suddenly asks, a confident smile across his face. Giving a light chuckle, Wakka steps over to accept Tidus' challenge.

"You're on, brudda."

"Think you can beat me, old man?" he ribs, grinning at Wakka.

"Don't know about him, but I bet I can," I remark, also throwing down the gauntlet to Tidus. The blitzball player merely starts stretching his legs, still smiling.

"Better warm up if you want a chance!" he calls, causing me to fold my arms, walking over to where Tidus and Wakka are. Reaching out, I pat him on the shoulder as he looks up at me.

"Just worry about yourself. I don't want to humiliate you _too_ badly," I joke.

"Yuna, if you would?" Wakka asks his charge, to which she smiles and nods before beginning to head over to the base of the stone steps. Each of us line up at the bottom of the steps as Lulu and Kimahri begin to head on up, not wanting to partake in our impromptu competition.

"Ready?" she asks, to which all of us nod our assent...right before she suddenly begins to run up the stairs herself, laughing as her boots tap on the stone. The three of us share a brief moment of surprise before taking off, with Wakka laughing heartily at the action. Tidus, however, is yelling in mock outrage as he runs, catching up to Yuna quickly as Wakka and I watch. Chuckling on the inside, I start taking the steps two at a time, closing the distance between Tidus and I in no time at all with Wakka only a few steps behind me. Not even bothering to spare a glance to the side, I keep running, the only sounds to me being those of my heart racing and my tennis shoes pounding against the stone.

The stairs, many in number though they may be, go by in a flash as we keep running, leaving Lulu and Kimahri a large distance behind in only a few seconds. In moments, I can see the top of the stairs, and a triumphant grin spreads across my face as I continue to leap up the stone steps, feet smacking against the path at the very top victoriously as I try to stop my forward momentum. Tidus and Wakka both are only two or three seconds behind me, with the former's face a strange mix of surprise and confusion. Yuna is a few seconds behind them, despite having the head start of sorts.

"Geez...how are you so fast?" Tidus asks, standing straight as he begins to try and slow his breathing. I don't answer immediately, doing much the same myself, before finally finding enough breath to speak a few seconds later.

"I'm really good when it comes to running short distances...but anything over about a hundred meters wears me out too quickly," I explain. "More of a sprinter than a distance runner, you could say."

Before I can even get a chance to admire the new surroundings of the temple's courtyard area, the sounds of screaming breaks the relative silence, as well as the sight of several people running away from the main temple complex and towards our position.

"Sinspawn!" one yells, heading straight past us and down the stairs in the direction of Kilika proper. That single word gets our undivided attention and sends Lulu and Kimahri running up the stairs to join us, even as the four of us at the top exchange glances and burst off towards the main temple, hoping to aid the situation before it gets out of hand.


	11. Rivalries

After a brief moment of waiting for the rest of our group to catch up, the six of us arrive at the main courtyard of the temple, a circular area paved in stone with the occasional statue situated around the outer edge of the stones. Sitting squarely in the middle of the stone ring is a decidedly...unusual sight, apparently the Sinspawn that the villagers were yelling about.

"What...is that?" Tidus asks hesitantly, gazing over at the creature. The Sinspawn in question is more than a bit odd. The fiend's outward appearance, at first glance, is nothing more than a squat green ball of flesh, about the height of a human and almost perfectly spherical. It's also not moving a muscle - if I didn't know any better, I'd say the thing wasn't even alive, truthfully.

"Something that shouldn't be here, it seems..." I mutter, answering his question after a few moments of examination. Kimahri growls quietly and begins to walk up towards the Sinspawn, his polearm raised and ready to strike at the faintest twitch of movement, and I cautiously begin to follow with my sword in a diagonal guard before me.

"Be careful!" Yuna yells, watching the two of us intently. Kimahri responds with a gruff growl, some sort of acknowledgment, and levels his polearm at the fiend. I keep back for just a moment as Kimahri brings the metal head of the weapon back, then thrusts it solidly into the creature's hide. A rumbling comes from the creature, accompanied by a high-pitched noise that isn't quite loud enough to be a screech, but loud enough for us to hear it - also causing Kimahri and myself to back off more. The green blob begins to shiver as we back away, shaking more and more until 'seams' along the flesh of the creature open up, unfolding like the petals of a flower and showing the creature's real form.

The green ball was apparently some kind of outer shell or skin, with some of the pieces that unfolded now sitting at the bottom of the creature's main body and protecting the lower extremities to some extent, while three large pieces sit behind the fiend's back as vaguely wing-shaped appendages. The main part of the Sinspawn is of a tall, decently large stature, with a thick torso supporting a pair of rather spindly arms ending in multiple flailing tentacles. The head of the creature is of normal proportions to the rest of the body and vaguely resembles the face of Lord Ochu from the jungle, albeit in a much smaller form - completing the menacing appearance of the Sinspawn Geneaux fiend.

' _Seems like 'kill it with fire' is a pretty viable strategy around here,'_ I think wryly, a bit disheartened that I don't have a Fire-element attack of my own. Without the elemental advantage, my sword strikes didn't seem to do much of anything to the Lord Ochu, and I'm starting to doubt that they'll do anything to this beast either.

_(Play: Enemy Attack - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

Wakka's blitzball is the first thing to strike, flying in and slamming into the creature's upper body, just below its head. Kimahri's poleaxe whistles in on the heels of the strike and digs a furrow into the torso of the Sinspawn, who responds by whipping Kimahri with the tentacles on its arm and sending him tumbling back. A Fire spell explodes in the creature's face almost as a counterpoint to the retaliation, and Tidus looks over at me with a nod before charging in. I follow Tidus in, watching as he slashes across the beast's skin, as I begin to charge my sword with Ice-element energy again.

I don't expect, however, for the Sinspawn to suddenly pluck Tidus from the ground using its tentacles. Before I can react, Tidus comes hurtling towards me, thrown by the Sinspawn, and my momentum is stopped cold as both of us are sent to the ground in a heap, out of the fight for the moment.

"Sorry," I hear Tidus mumble, dazed by the collision and trying to get back to his feet.

"Not your fault..." I say, also trying to get my bearings back and stand up again. Looking over, I see Kimahri roar and straighten his body, right before tendrils of energy seem to extend from his body to the Sinspawn's, glowing motes of light traveling the length of the streams and entering Kimahri's own - Lancet, the skill exclusive to the Ronso of Mount Gagazet. Yuna also seems to be preparing for a summon, her eyes closed and her demeanor one akin to someone in prayer.

"Yuna's gonna summon! Let's give her a chance to do it!" I say quickly to Tidus, who nods in affirmation and picks his sword back up. Wakka's blitzball gets swatted back at the Auroch captain, hitting him and forcing him back as he tries and fails to catch the flying object, and Lulu casts another Fire spell at the Sinspawn, only to have it bat the Fire spell into nothingness with a pair of its tentacles as Tidus and I rejoin the fight.

One of the tentacles comes down and swats at Tidus, but he cuts it with the blade in his hands, causing it to retract slightly and for Geneaux to turn its attention to him for the moment. The creature seems to inhale briefly, before spitting a glob of foul-looking, green liquid in Tidus' direction. Luckily, the attack is fairly slow compared with how fast Tidus is capable of moving, and so the green liquid splashes harmlessly onto the ground of the courtyard as Tidus leaps to the side.

"Valefor, please, aid us!"

The rushing of wind and the sound of beating wings, as well as Yuna's voice suddenly cut through the area, the mighty Aeon of Besaid descending from above to heed its summoner's call. Sinspawn Geneaux looks up at the creature - albeit, as best it can without any visible eyes - and shrieks, immediately spitting another glob of the noxious liquid towards the Aeon. Valefor merely ascends higher on its wings, letting the ball of acid fly below its talons, then flaps its wings powerfully and sends a sharp burst of air waves towards the Sinspawn. Much like with Lord Ochu, the wave is devastating, tearing into the creature deeply and cutting tentacles apart as it tries to shield itself. A part of my mind wonders just how skilled Yuna already is as a summoner, as an Aeon's strength is directly tied to that of the summoner, but I put my thoughts aside and prepare to follow up on Valefor's attack.

My sword shimmers with white energy again as the blade chills, and I deliver a blow as strongly as I can muster into the bottom of the Sinspawn's shell-like lower body that sends green blood spurting from the wound right before it seals over with ice crystals. Right after my attack, Valefor's talon digs into the creature's head, cutting away pieces of its flesh and causing it to screech and thrash about wildly at the serious wound Yuna's Aeon just inflicted. The Aeon flutters away again, though not without harm as a group of the flailing tentacles smash into the side of the bird's skull, dazing the mighty summon and causing it to wobble in the air in the midst of the stunning blow.

A roar from Kimahri catches my attention again, and I see him at my right side with his spear raised right before he plunges it into the creature's chest all the way up to the end of the blade. The creature's howl of pain is accompanied by what could be considered a gurgling sound, and from the amount of blood that began pouring from the wound as Kimahri removes the spear, my guess is that he hit something vital. The Sinspawn, though resilient, seems to be at the end of its rope, and the whipping limbs that remain seem to be slowing down, becoming sluggish as the creature's life force pours out of its body. Kimahri leaps back, as do I, and Tidus stays out of the way as Yuna dismisses her Aeon, all of us realizing that the fight is over as the Sinspawn slowly begins to collapse to the ground. Before long, the creature's struggles cease, and pyreflies begin to disperse from its form as the life finally leaves its shell.

_(End: Enemy Attack - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

"Man...these things are everywhere!" Tidus exclaims, looking over at Wakka. The elder guardian looks a little sheepish, and places a hand on the back of his head as he turns to the fellow blitzball player.

"Sorry about that...I hoped to break you in a little slower, ya?" he says, chuckling a little as Yuna begins to check among our group for injuries. Past a headache and some small bruising from Tidus' collision, I seem to have come out okay from the fight, and Kimahri and Wakka seem to both be fine from where they were hit earlier. Other than that, it seems like none of us were hurt, a definite good sign this early in our travels. Of course, that was a weaker Sinspawn, I know, but it's the thought that counts - morale plays a big part in battle, after all.

"Don't worry about it," Tidus responds, shrugging and putting his blade away again. "Being a guardian's tiring, you know?"

"I think we're all aware of that, yes," I say, chuckling lightly and sheathing the blade in my hands. "But, if we're going to beat Sin, we've got to grin and bear it, right?"

"Yeah, guess so," the Zanarkand native agrees, nodding. "One question, though...just what _was_ that thing?"

"A Sinspawn," Lulu says, folding her arms as she answers the question. "Fiends that fall from Sin's body, and are left behind in its wake."

"Leave 'em alone for too long, and Sin'll come back for 'em! You gotta be quick about taking them down!" Wakka adds, causing Tidus' face to fall somewhat.

"Is that...what happened back there, to the town?" he asks quietly, causing everyone's expression to sober up similarly. We'd done all we could for Kilika, and while we didn't want to just forget about the town, we all knew that dwelling on the tragedy wasn't going to bring the inhabitants back or rebuild the port town.

"Seems like," I mutter, reluctantly agreeing with his assessment.

"It could have happened anywhere," Lulu says. "We can't let that keep us from doing what we need to stop this."

There's a collective nod from all of us, our thoughts once again united for a brief moment as we begin to head across the expansive courtyard towards the temple here at Kilika. Yuna, Lulu, and Kimahri take the lead as we start walking, with myself, Tidus, and Wakka not far behind. If the three in front of me are speaking, it's too low for me to make out, but I can hear Tidus and Wakka behind me just fine, the older blitzball captain continuing to explain to Tidus about fiends and Sinspawn as the boy listens on. I hadn't pegged him as the type that would sit down and listen or learn about things, but I suppose that combat drills a little pragmatism into even the hardest heads.

"So, uh...they got fiends in Zanarkand too?" Wakka asks suddenly, causing me to glance back in their direction and see Tidus looking momentarily stunned by the question.

"Just a few," he says after a few moments, surprise giving way to curiosity as he stares at Wakka. "Since when have you believed me about Zanarkand, anyway?"

Wakka shrugs calmly, remaining silent for a moment as he tries to piece together his response. "I been...thinking. Maybe some people Sin gets to don't die. Maybe Sin carries 'em through time - maybe even a thousand years through time. And then one day, maybe they just...pop back, see?"

Ahead of me, Lulu suddenly stops in her tracks, causing Yuna and Kimahri to stop as well, followed closely by the rest of us as the black-clad woman turns and begins to walk past me towards Wakka. The expression on her face is completely unreadable to me, but I take a step back as she passes anyway - something about her body language just screams anger.

"Amazing," she starts, shaking her head as she looks at Wakka. "Simply amazing. You make up one theory after another, refusing to believe the simple truth." Her eyes narrow, and Wakka almost seems to shrink back at the look on her face. "Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere. Sin crushed him and left him lying on the Djose shore!"

Behind Lulu, Yuna looks almost shocked at the older woman's outburst, but Kimahri is as solemn as always. Both of them seem to know that this was a touchy subject for Lulu, and I remember a similar instance happening back on Besaid when Wakka gave Tidus' Chappu's old blade as a gift.

"Oh, and one more thing. No matter how much you want it...no one can take Chappu's place. No one can replace Sir Jecht, for that matter. And there's no replacement for Lord Braska, either," Lulu continues, not seeing Yuna's expression fall momentarily at the name of her father. "It's pointless to think about it, and sad - you'll only end up hurting yourself in the end when reality doesn't live up to your expectations."

The silence among our group is almost deafening as Lulu finally finishes speaking. Wakka looks like someone physically slapped him across the face, and Tidus looks as stunned as he, but for a different reason. Yuna looks a mix of shocked and sad, the mention of her father seeming to hurt her on the inside despite how she tries to not let it show. Kimahri is as stoic as ever, his fellow guardian's outburst not seeming to faze him in the least. I, myself, am a little shocked at how forceful her words were, not to mention cruel...but as much as I hate to admit it, there's a measure of truth in them. I lost both of the people I considered parents barely a year before all this, and it still hurts to think about, but at the same time I know that death is something that happens to everyone - wishing you could change the past won't do anything to change it.

By the time Wakka finds it in himself to speak again, Lulu has already walked ahead, leaving Yuna and Kimahri to walk behind her - though Yuna spares another glance back at Wakka before she follows.

"I...I could never be what Chappu was," Wakka says quietly, for a moment looking nothing like the normal, cheerful captain of the Besaid Aurochs.

"You don't have to," I remark. "Chappu is Chappu, and you are you. It sounds silly, but that's the way it is."

"Maybe you're right," he replies with a sigh, straightening up again. "Stuff happens, I guess. Best not to worry, ya?"

"Save the worrying for later, when we're beating Sin," I say, grinning. "Bigger fish and such, if you get my drift."

From behind Wakka, Tidus hastily suppresses a chuckle at my semi-intentional pun. "That was terrible," the boy comments, shaking his head.

"He's happy again, ain't he? Who cares how bad the joke was!" I say, glancing over to see how far ahead of us everyone else is...then doing a double-take as I realize they're almost to the temple proper. Tidus and Wakka look at each other, then take off running to catch up, leaving me to follow them across the courtyard towards the main part of the temple.

* * *

Describing the architecture of Kilika Temple is difficult - it doesn't resemble any historical architecture I could name, really. The temple itself seems to be vaguely circular or cylindrical in shape, but the upper part has two curved sides that jut out above the rest, almost giving the impression of horns. Much of the design contains circles and oval-shaped pieces, with an overhanging archway leading up to the entrance itself. The entire temple is decorated in orange and red hues, giving it a sparkling and fiery appearance as the sun glints off of the polished structure.

"I wonder how long it took to build these temples..." I muse to myself, looking up at the towering temple as we head towards the doors leading inside. As we walk under the archway, the doors in front of us open, letting three men dressed in what look like purple and white-colored sports uniforms step out, speaking loudly among themselves. Yuna and the others stop in front of me, and the three men quiet down as they notice the small party of people standing in front of them.

"You here to pray for victory too?" Wakka asks, seeming to recognize the trio in front of him as fellow blitzball players. The man in the center scoffs, waving his hand in the air in a dismissive fashion as he faces Wakka.

"Us, pray?" he says, seeming falsely offended that Wakka would even suggest such a thing. "Who needs to pray? The Luca Goers _always_ win!"

"Then why are you here?" Wakka counters, folding his arms. The man standing to the left smirks as they step over to stand in front of Wakka.

"We've been praying for some _competition_ this year!" he sneers, causing the others to laugh and the expression on Wakka's face to sour even more.

"So, what's your goal this year?" the third member of the Goers asks mockingly, pointing a finger at the Aurochs' captain. "You gonna 'do your best' again this year! It's too bad that even your 'best' isn't good enough! You guys shouldn't even bother showing up after the way you played last year!"

Sighing to myself, I shake my head and turn to walk away towards one of the benches on the side of the entranceway. I'm not really a fan of blitzball, and listening to people like these three might make me lose what little lunch I've eaten if it goes on too long. Behind me, I can hear Tidus adamantly stating that "this year, we play to win," only to be met with a raucous chorus of jeering laughter from the three arrogant blitzball players. I don't even realize that I'm being followed until I sit down and see Lulu walking towards me.

"You couldn't stand to listen to them either, huh?" I say, hoping to lighten the mood a little in the wake of the earlier argument.

"Partly," she admits, "but that's not all of it. I just wanted to talk."

"Well, talk away - I'll listen."

"I assume that you'll also be attempting to claim the Aeon of Kilika?" she asks, sitting down beside me, to which I nod.

"It's what I'm supposed to do, after all. Why?"

"No reason." Her eyes narrow just slightly as she speaks again, making me worry just a little that she's about to yell at me the same way she did Wakka. "I know that you lied about being from Besaid."

My own eyes narrow somewhat in response - I expected someone to figure it out, and either Wakka or Lulu would've been my first guess. "Really, now."

"If you were truly from Besaid, I would have seen you in the village before today."

"Alright, you caught me," I admit, shrugging. There's no point in trying to keep up the charade with someone as smart as Lulu, anyway. "So I lied about where I'm from. I've got my reasons."

"Then why don't you tell me where you're really from?" she counters. "Or do you have something to hide?"

"Like I said, I have my reasons. Mostly because you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Oh?" She seems almost curious now, but her face and tone aren't betraying much curiosity at all. "Then tell me. I'll decide that for myself."

"Can you accept the fact that Spira isn't the only world you know of?" I ask, trying to find a way to ease into an explanation without just blurting it out. "Because if you can't, there's no point."

My question seems to catch her off-guard for a moment, and she glances back at the group before speaking again. "Go on."

"I can't explain it myself, but one of the fayth - Bahamut - brought me here from my own world. I don't even know all of the reasons _why_ I'm here right now, but I know two things. One - I'm a summoner, which means I have a job to do here in Spira, and that's to help defeat Sin at whatever the cost might be. Two - whether you believe me or not is irrelevant to me helping with that task. It just makes it easier if you do."

Lulu doesn't reply for several seconds, seconds that feel more like minutes under her stern gaze. "If what you're saying is the truth, then why didn't you say that to Yuna - to us - back in Besaid?"

"Maybe it's just me, but I don't think people take too kindly to having their world view shattered," I say, maybe a little too sharply. "After all, you haven't taken too well to hearing Tidus claim that he's from Zanarkand, have you?"

The point seems to strike home, Lulu's frown deepening a little more at the comment. "You're saying that he's telling the truth as well?"

"I was with him. I wish I had a way to prove it, too...prove that I didn't just see Tidus there, but Sin, too. But I don't have anything with me except the sword on my hip and my word. Like I said, it's your choice whether to believe me - and Tidus - or not. I won't feel bad if you don't."

"You seem almost too comfortable with this for me to believe that you're really from some other world," she comments, her face returning to a neutral expression.

"Let's just say that it's because I've had some...personal problems...in my life, and leave it at that," I state, shrugging. "Maybe I'll tell you about it later, when I feel more comfortable explaining. I find it strange that I'm so comfortable here too, but I'm thankful for it."

Thankfully, Lulu doesn't press that issue, instead simply nodding and standing up - apparently, the rest of the group is waiting on us so that they can enter the temple. "I'll keep all this in mind," she says, telling me that even if she doesn't believe me, at least she hasn't written me off as completely crazy...and maybe she's reconsidering Tidus' position, as well.

"That's all I can ask for," I say, also standing up from the bench. "If you decide to believe me and want to talk again, I'll listen - just so you know."

She looks back at me for a moment as she starts to walk off, but a faint nod is all the acknowledgment I get that she heard and understood. No matter what I do, I can't read her emotions by looking at her face. I like to think that I'm good at reading the feelings of other people, but Lulu may as well be a blank slate as far as that's concerned.

Sighing, I just decide to write it off as Lulu being older and more mature than I am. I hadn't expected her to bother talking with me about any of this, but a part of me is glad that she did - it takes a little bit of the weight off my shoulders, like I can focus on figuring out why I'm here instead of worrying about how the others see me. Silently, I start heading back over towards the rest of the group, ready to head inside Kilika Temple and move one step closer to banishing Sin forever.


	12. Choices

"Lord Ohalland, guide our feet."

Wakka's prayer is one of the few sounds breaking the silence inside the quiet temple at Kilika, the others being light footsteps upon the stone floor and muted talking among some of the others in the group. At the moment, I'm busy gazing upon all the painted murals on the wall, examining the details in them that define Spira's history. The inside of this temple looks much as the one at Besaid did, with paintings, statues, and a door at the back of the room leading to the Cloister of Trials. About the only difference is the shape of the room; Besaid's temple was circular while this temple has more of a rectangular shape to it.

"What are you looking at?" Yuna asks from behind me, stepping up to stand beside me and looking over.

"Just the paintings. I wonder how long they've been around..." I say, casually looking towards the young summoner.

"Lord Ohalland defeated Sin two hundred and thirty years ago," Yuna replies, looking up at the mural.

"Over two centuries ago, huh...that's a long time for these paintings to be here. The monks must have taken a lot of care to make sure nothing messed them up," I state, nodding. It reminds me of things like the Sistine Chapel - the ceiling murals there have been around for about five centuries, and are still as beautiful as the day they were painted.

"Yuna, are we going?"

Lulu's voice cuts into our conversation before Yuna can reply, and the summoner turns to the older guardian with a nod, looking a little embarrassed for just a moment as she walks away. Having no reason to stay behind, I follow, ready to earn my second Aeon at this temple - despite the fact, I realize, that I haven't even tried to summon Valefor yet. Mentally, I make a note to try a summoning once we get finished here as I walk towards the back of the room. A priest dressed in a red and white robe with a pair of sandals on his feet stops us as we approach the door to the Cloister of Trials, greeting us all with the gesture of prayer, which we all return.

"State your name, summoner, as you prepare to enter the Trials," the priest intones, causing Yuna to stand a little straighter as she addresses the much older man.

"Yuna Kaname, from the island of Besaid."

The man nods in approval, gesturing to the door behind him.

"Enter the Trials, young summoner, and find whether you are worthy to possess the Aeon of Kilika."

As Yuna proceeds through the door with the rest of her guardians in tow, I stop before the priest, bowing politely before speaking as well.

"Benji Powell, also from Besaid Island." Lulu may have seen through my lie easily enough, but it's relatively harmless in my opinion to keep using it when I need to - especially given what I'd have to explain if I didn't.

"Two summoners...it is a rarity to see more than one summoner traveling within a group these days," he mentions, but nods. "Very well, then. You may proceed as well. Take care within the Trials."

"Thank you," I state, nodding lightly to the priest before pushing the doors open and venturing into the hall beyond. As the doors swing shut behind me with a dull thud, I notice that this part of the hall looks the same as Besaid's temple too - I can see an elevator of some kind at the end of the hallway, where Yuna and the rest are standing. However, I can also see two other figures alongside them at the end of the hall. One is a dark-haired, squat yet muscular man wearing some kind of leather bracers, a crossed set of leather straps across his bare chest, and leaf green pants covered by a navy blue sash of some kind as well as leather shoes that cover his feet and shins. The other is a dark-skinned woman wearing what looks like a tan bikini top and long skirt, split at the center and held together by crossed strings as well as similar fabric covering her arms, dark black near the top and bright yellow at the wrist, along with dark-colored boots.

"So, you're High Summoner Braska's daughter," I hear the woman say as I approach. "That's quite a name to live up to. My, my, my...and all these people are your guardians?" she continues, gesturing towards Tidus and the rest. "My, what a rabble! As I recall, Lord Braska had only _two_ guardians on his pilgrimage - choosing quality over quantity, it would seem. I have need of only one guardian - right, Barthello?"

The muscular man nods to her as I walk up to stand behind the group, watching and trying to maintain an apathetic look on my face despite the woman's biting comments and exaggerated manner of speaking.

"I only have as many guardians as people I can trust," Yuna responds, a tinge of anger in her voice that wasn't there before. "I trust them _all_ with my life! To have so many guardians is a great joy, and an honor as well...even more so than being my father's daughter." She pauses for a second or two, letting the anger in her voice dissipate before she continues. "Of course, I would never think of questioning your ways, either. So, Lady Dona, I ask of you - please leave us in peace."

I can see Lulu nod from behind Yuna, seemingly pleased that the young girl took a diplomatic approach to things instead of sinking to the woman's level with harsh words and criticism. Dona, however, seems remarkably unfazed by Yuna's words, merely shrugging and turning to her guardian. "You do what you want," she says offhandedly. "Barthello, we're leaving."

The burly man just nods in acknowledgment, following Dona past our group and towards the exit to the temple's main entrance, but is forced to stop as Dona pauses again, looking back at me in a manner that almost makes me bristle.

"Another summoner, traveling with Braska's daughter? All these guardians aren't enough?" she asks, taking another shot at Yuna that causes me to grit my teeth.

"My journey and decisions are my own, just as yours are. Don't try to start trouble here in a place of worship," I say, fighting back my own anger and trying to stay peaceful. She simply snorts at my words, though, turning back around and waving a hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Like I said - do as you please. It's nothing for _me_ to worry over."

As the doors at the end of the hall slam shut once again, I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, realizing then that I'd clenched my hands into fists as well without noticing. Though, one thing about what she said does bother me a little more than her other words - how did she know I was a summoner when I never said anything of the sort?

"Are you ready, Yuna?" I hear Lulu ask from behind me, Yuna giving a quiet 'yes' in response, and then footsteps as they begin to move to the elevator. Sighing and deciding to forget about Dona for now, I start to head over to where the elevator is myself, only to see Tidus gently shoved off by Kimahri.

"Hey, what gives?" he protests weakly, honestly surprised at the action.

"You're not a guardian yet," Lulu says simply, causing me to shrug.

"Then he can be my guardian," I propose, earning a momentary look of surprise from Tidus, Wakka, and Lulu. "What? I don't have any guardians of my own, you know. It's better than just leaving him out here alone - there's no point in that," I continue, defending my idea. It seems like a formality anyway, in my opinion - what does it matter whether the person is "officially" a guardian or not? Tidus fought to protect Yuna just like the rest of us, and that's enough to make a guardian in my book. If all Yevon has an issue with is a silly thing like nomenclature, then I'll just find a way around it.

"If that's what you want, brudda," I hear Wakka say, causing me to nod.

"I'm sure," I reply, placing one hand on the railing of the lift. For a moment, I wonder exactly how it works, but that becomes immaterial after a few seconds as the lift starts to descend, taking us all into the Cloister of Trials.

Below the temple is much the same as above, but with a few minor differences. The walls are barren stone, no decorations or murals lining them at all, merely the occasional torch set into the sides to give light to people wandering the halls. At the other side, what looks like the doorway leading out of this room is guarded by a tall piece of some sort of netting, presumably magical in nature. Not for the first time, I wonder just who came up with the idea of making the Cloisters, and how exactly they were designed. They all seem to be puzzles, though none are particularly difficult or time-consuming, and the only rationalization I can think of is that in some strange way, they're meant to teach summoners patience and discipline.

But I'm just musing, really - there's a place and a time for everything, and this isn't it. Maybe I'll ask one of the priests at some point.

"Kimahri, Wakka, are you ready?" Lulu asks her two fellow guardians, receiving short nods from both as they all turn to Yuna. "Lead the way, Yuna."

"Yes," the young girl replies, taking her first steps into the Cloister of Trials at Kilika Temple.

* * *

Around fifteen minutes later, the six of us exit the Cloister of Trials - the tasks we had to perform were simple, yet they did force us to think carefully lest we never make it through. Sections of the path were barred by magical flame and barriers such as the one we saw in the main room, forcing us to use magical spheres set throughout the halls to douse the fire so that we could proceed. The problem lay with the execution; removing the fire from one piece of the area started fires in another, and so the timing and placement of the spheres was important for us to reach the end.

Now, we're standing in front of a pair of solid, heavy-looking wooden doors. Like Besaid, these have intricate carvings set into the wood, but these are of a different nature, what appears to be the fayth of this temple. It also lacks the golden trim that Besaid's Chamber had, the trim on these doors instead a bright orange-red color, fitting with the rest of the design. The air around us is filled with music, too, the same melody I heard back in Besaid - the Hymn of the Fayth.

_(Play: Song of Prayer ~ Ifrit - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

"Ifrit is the Aeon for this temple, right?" I ask, wondering if I can get any more information about the Aeon than I already know.

"Yes," Lulu answers, facing me as she speaks. "Ifrit's fayth was that of a Crusader, one of Yevon's finest warriors at the time. He was crippled while serving as a guardian and could not continue on his summoner's pilgrimage. Instead, he was brought back to Kilika, and decided to become a fayth for the temple not long after."

"Interesting..." I say quietly, taking in Lulu's explanation. To be quite honest, I hadn't known about all of that, just that Ifrit was the fayth for the temple. Silently, I step up to the doors, running my hands over the carvings inlaid into the wood gently as Yuna steps up beside me.

"Ready?" I ask, to which she nods, taking hold of the handle on the right. I grip the one on the left, and together we pull the doors open, stepping into the dimly-lit inner sanctum of the Chamber of the Fayth. Yuna and I let the doors close behind us without a sound, dropping to our knees within the chamber and repeating the gesture of prayer before closing our eyes. I find it easy to clear my mind in this chamber, maybe because of what it entails and why we're here, maybe because the place is an area of holiness and worship. No matter what, the silence and calmness within the room makes me feel at ease even as a faint glow begins to shine in the room. Within moments, an image begins to appear in front of us, and Yuna and I look up to see the fayth's image materialize before us. The man is taller than either of us, with rather long dark hair, and is dressed in what I can only assume is the uniform of the Crusaders from the time when he became a fayth. Long, tan pants cover his legs, and an olive-green, short-sleeved shirt covers his chest, with some kind of tan-colored shoulder plates and leather tunic over that.

"Welcome, summoners," the fayth of Ifrit says, his deep voice seeming to echo around the tiny room. "It's good that you've made it to this temple - you wish my aid in defeating Sin, correct?"

"For the good of the people of Spira," Yuna replies, "we ask your help, if it pleases you."

"It's good to see that there are still noble people around," the fayth remarks, nodding. "I used to fight for Yevon too...this is the only way I can serve now, but as long as I am able, then I shall serve. My power is yours to call on whenever you need - take it, and bring peace to the world, summoners."

"Thank you," I say to the fayth, bowing. "We'll make your wish come true, I swear it."

The fayth's image smiles and folds his arms, looking over the two of us. "I'm sure you will." Slowly, his image fades away into nothingness, and the familiar feeling of vertigo and dizziness that I felt in Besaid overtakes me, causing me to wobble as I try to get back to my feet. After nearly falling into my face, I decide to sit still until the feeling passes, something which takes a minute but leaves me feeling much better when it finally fades. This time, it's Yuna who offers me a hand, an offer I gladly take as I pull myself back to my feet and join her in exiting the small room of prayer.

_(End: Song of Prayer ~ Ifrit - Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

"Are you both okay?" Wakka asks upon our exit, earning a quiet 'yes' from Yuna and a slightly shaky nod from me. "Good - wouldn't do to have you two hurt, you know?" he adds, causing me to chuckle.

"Wouldn't dream of making you feel like you're not doing your job," I counter jovially, getting a smile out of the Aurochs' captain. Despite my happy demeanor, I feel like I could use some rest - fighting a Sinspawn and then earning my second Aeon has left me more tired than I care to admit, and I'd wager Yuna feels the same way. I've had a lot to think about today, too, not the least of which is how I'm going to explain where I'm really from to everyone else, and how they'll react. Wakka might take it well enough, and Tidus too since he's been through nearly the same thing, but what about Kimahri and Yuna? A part of me realizes that I might be lucky to get any kind of a reaction from the generally-stoic Ronso, and I have to bite back a laugh at the thought of a surprised Kimahri. Yuna, though...I can't even begin to think about how Yuna might react.

A hand on my shoulder causes me to jump, surprised by the sudden contact, and I look to my left to see that the owner of the hand is none other than Tidus, looking at me with what might pass for worry.

"You okay? You seemed like you were off in your own little world there," he comments. Quickly, I shake my head, reassuring him that I'm still okay. I'll worry about how I'll explain things to everyone when the time comes to do just that. Kimahri and Lulu, just as before, start to lead the way out of the Chamber of the Fayth, with Yuna and Wakka right behind them. Not wanting to be left behind in the temple, Tidus and I follow, headed back to the elevator that will take us back to - presumably - the ground floor of the temple.

* * *

As we make it outside, Yuna is almost immediately flanked by several villagers congratulating her on her accomplishments and wishing her well on her pilgrimage. A few of them have similar encouraging words for me, comments which I try to take in stride given my terrible skill with accepting compliments. A few of them have even offered gifts to Yuna, small bundles with Gil, potions, or food in them - even one that I noticed which contained an expensive-looking bangle. Yuna seems to be simultaneously flattered and embarrassed by all the attention, not to mention quite unsure of just how to handle it all immediately, but I notice a few minutes later that she seems to be handling it much better, chatting amiably with the villagers and generally enjoying their company. Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri are by her side, ever vigilant and patient with their charge as she speaks with the natives of Kilika, but Tidus seems...out of place, walking around the center of the courtyard almost dejectedly.

"Something up? You don't seem like yourself," I mention, stepping over to try and strike up a conversation with Tidus in the hopes of cheering him up somehow.

"It's...nothing, really," he mutters, looking back towards Yuna and the others for a few moments. "I just..."

"Feel uneasy around all of this?" I offer, shrugging. He seems to consider the words for a few moments, before nodding.

"I guess that's it. I don't feel right being here," he says, sighing. "You're from Zanarkand, too...but you seem so comfortable about it all, like you've lived here all your life." Inwardly, I wince at his words; he opened the door for me to explain, so there might not be any better time than the present.

"Tidus...think we can talk for a minute? There's something I've gotta share with you, to tell the truth," I say, momentarily distracting the boy from his own troubles as a look of confusion crosses his face.

"Sure...what's up?"

"Remember how I said back when we were in Zanarkand that it was where I was from?" I ask somewhat anxiously, earning a nod for my troubles. "Well...I was lying."

"What are you talking about?" he asks, looking even more confused now than he did a minute ago.

"Just what I said," I say, taking a deep breath. "It was a lie. Do you remember that little boy that we saw when we were with Auron, on the bridge?" That earns me another nod along with the steadily-deepening look of confusion. "Well...he brought me to Zanarkand from my own world. I'm not from here in Spira, or from your Zanarkand - I'm from somewhere different altogether, an entirely different world than this, really."

The look on Tidus' face as I finish surprises me completely - not confusion, not shock, just...understanding, if I had to liken it to anything. "So...you know how I'm feeling right now, don't you?" he asks. For a moment, I'm not quite sure what to say.

"Maybe not exactly, but...I've got an idea. You don't know anyone here, you've been told your home hasn't existed for a thousand years, and you're caught up in some business involving summoners and guardians that you still don't understand just yet. Right?"

If I thought I was good at reading people before, the look on Tidus' face now confirms it for me.

"How did you...?" he starts, causing me to cut him off by waving a hand.

"I'm just good at reading people, that's all. Always have been. And I'll admit, too...I'm not as comfortable with all this as you might think I am. I was offered the choice to come here, a choice that I took, but I don't know the _real_ reason why I'm here. I could've just as easily chosen to stay where I was and live a normal life, but something made me make the choice to be here. I want to know what that something is."

Tidus seems again momentarily surprised by my little tangent, shaking his head before looking back up at me. "And I thought I had it tough," he says, sounding like he's feeling at least a little better. I place a hand on his shoulder, nodding.

"We've both got it tough, just for different reasons. You're a guardian now, though, just like I'm a summoner - let's make the best of it, hm?"

Thankfully, I can see his expression cheer up once again as I finish speaking, and he gives me a small smile as the crowd around Yuna begins to disperse.

"Thanks," he says, causing me to shrug.

"It's what I do," I reply, brushing the comment off - in reality, it really _is_ what I do, as most of my family and friends often come to me when they need to talk about something, especially when they want to keep it quiet.

"Sorry we kept you both waiting," Wakka says as the rest of the group approaches us again. "People need some hope to hang on to, especially with what just happened, ya?"

"I know the feeling," I agree, nodding. A moment later, I look over at Yuna again, remembering something that I'd thought about while in the Cloister of Trials. "Yuna...I don't want to take too much time out of your trip, but I want to try performing a summoning before we leave here. I didn't get the chance to try when we were at Besaid, and then...well, you know," I continue, hoping that I don't sound too ridiculous for voicing the thought on my mind.

To my relief, Yuna simply smiles politely at me, seeming to put my slight bit of nervousness aside. "Of course you can," she replies, the four simple words instantly making me feel a whole lot better about the situation.

"Thank you," I say gratefully, before turning and beginning to walk a short distance away from the group, taking a deep breath as I do so. I don't even know the proper way to perform a summoning, if there even is one, so I'm more nervous right now than I'm letting on to the rest of my companions. Satisfied with the distance between us, I turn around again, facing the group and repeating the gesture of prayer as I close my eyes, concentrating and trying to calm my nerves in order to focus.

To my surprise, the fayth's presences seem to stir within my mind, making me wonder if they're reacting to my decision to summon. It seems like someone or something whispering inside my head, enough to know that it's there but gone the moment you try to focus on it. After a moment's thought, I decide to start with the logical choice and attempt to summon Valefor - she seems like the best choice for me right now. As I do, I can feel the presence growing stronger in my mind, lending a bit of ground to my idea that the fayth are reacting to my own thoughts.

' _Is this what it's like for all summoners?'_ I think to myself, feeling the energy continue to grow stronger inside of me. Quietly, I draw my sword from its sheath, holding it in front of me as I start to focus on that energy, placing my left hand on the flat of the blade. The energy keeps building, and I keep my eyes closed until it feels like the energy just wants to burst out of me before opening my eyes and turning my blade downward, kneeling and placing the point of the blade directly on the ground so as to look like I'm piercing the stone. Around me, I can see a similar summoning glyph surrounding me just as it had for Yuna back in Besaid, but something seems...different. If I did the summoning correctly, shouldn't I be seeing Valefor's form above me, or at least hearing it now?

The answer to why I don't arrives moments later as the glyph shines, the energy contained within it shimmering and flowing into _my_ body instead of that of an Aeon's. My surprise is mirrored in the looks of the group as I see what appear to be pieces of armor begin to materialize on my form. On my forearms, some kind of light leather bracers decorated with multicolored feathers appear, covering them from elbow to wrist, right before similar material appears over part of my upper body, torso, and waist. This, however, seems to be more ordinary-looking armor, though a more yellow and brown hue. Moments later, a second set of bracer-type armor appears over the lower parts of my legs, covering them nearly up to my knees, and I can feel a surge of power that I hadn't felt before.

"What in the..." I breathe, wondering momentarily if something went wrong with my summoning, if this wasn't really supposed to happen and I screwed up somehow.

"What did you just do?" I hear Tidus ask from afar, somewhat taken aback by my new appearance - though, to be honest, he's not the only one. Placing my blade back in its sheath, I start to turn my arms over in front of me, examining the coverings that are adorning them now with silent fascination as I start to walk back towards the group in the hopes of getting some answer.

"I...don't really know..." I say, honestly speechless for the time being. "Yuna...have you ever seen anything like this?"

"No, I haven't..." she says, trailing off as she gets a good look at the armor covering portions of my body.

"I...might have an explanation for you," Lulu says after several seconds, causing all eyes to turn to her.

"Really?" I ask, unable to contain the curiosity and slight worry in my voice. Lulu merely nods in response, folding her arms over her chest again.

"From what I can see, this resembles stories that I've heard about alternative forms of the summoning arts. Some summoners, instead of physically summoning Aeons to their side, instead summoned the fayth's power to themselves, foregoing the creation of a physical body for the Aeon in question and instead transforming themselves into a sort of...vessel for the fayth's essence. I don't know much more than that, but the temples may hold more information for you."

A slight tug on the armor I'm wearing gets my attention a moment later, and I glance over to see Tidus examining...something on the back of my shirt.

"What? What is it?" I ask, fidgeting and pulling at the material as I look over my shoulder to try and see what Tidus is looking at. Emblazoned on the back of the armor, in a mixture of orange, red, and purple color, is the symbol of Yevon, as well as what look like Valefor's wings in the same colors, placed on either side of the bright symbol.

"Well, brudda, you certainly look like you're a summoner now!" Wakka says, breaking the momentary silence that seems to have fallen over the group. I can feel the look of surprise on my face slowly giving way to a smile as I start to accept what Wakka said. It's not a summoning in the truest sense, but it _is_ a summoning...and that makes me a summoner, no matter what.

"Yeah...I guess you're right, Wakka. I do look like a summoner," I say, finally smiling and nodding over at the captain of the Aurochs. A momentary thought washes over me then, namely how I might go about _unsummoning_ this, but no sooner does the thought cross my mind than the armor begins to shine, fading away into wisps of energy that evaporate off my body, leaving me back in my original clothes. "Should we get back to Kilika now, though?"

"That sounds good to me," Wakka replies, earning general echoes of agreement from all of us. It seems we're all a bit tired, and I know that I wouldn't mind having a bit of rest before we move on. Yuna stops for a few seconds, waving good bye to the villagers standing around the temple, before we begin to descend the steps that will take us back to the ruined village of Kilika.


	13. Rays of Hope

The sun is just starting to set when we arrive back at the shattered seaside town of Kilika, but there is a strong sense of harmony around the area despite the destruction and encroaching darkness. People are still working, attempting to clean as meticulously and quickly as they can, using every available bit of daylight to the fullest to try and restore their home. A lot was lost in Sin's attack, but everyone seems to be focused on moving past that and rebuilding to honor those who were lost - Yuna's earlier Sending seems to have done a great deal with help in that respect.

"Kilika strong," Kimahri rumbles, stepping up beside Yuna as she stops to look over the town. "Like Gagazet - Ronso value family, honor, courage. Kilika has all."

"Kilika faces the same problems that we do," Lulu says with a nod. "The sea can be harsh and unforgiving, even without Sin's presence. They do the best they can, never giving up in the face of that force - much as we do."

"A small-scale version of what the world does against Sin. Man versus nature, survival of the fittest...even if the 'nature' in some cases was made by man's own hands," I remark, heading further into the town. Debris is still everywhere, but the worst of it seems to be getting under control; larger pieces have been gathered up into piles for burning or reuse as smaller chunks of material, while things too damaged or unsuitable for recycling are piled further away. Coming from an area that deals with frequent hurricanes, the destruction around me is all too familiar, even if it was caused by an otherworldly power. While it's hard to do, I know that we have to keep moving forward, no matter how much we may want to stay and help. Every moment we spend is another moment that could be used to further our travels and find a way to stop Sin for good, and pressing on to find a way to solve the underlying problem would be a much better solution that merely repeating the events of the past.

It's a painfully pragmatic and somewhat unsympathetic way of looking at things, I know, but it makes sense despite everything.

"We can leave for Luca in the morning," Wakka says, looking around at the town as the last of the sun starts to fade over the horizon. "We'll rest up, eat something, and be ready to go at sunup, ya?"

"A good idea," Lulu replies with a nod. "I will go ask the elder where we may stay for the night." Quietly, Lulu walks away, leaving the rest of us out on the beach with the villagers as they continue to work. Apparently, however, they aren't going to work through the night. I can already see torches being lit and fires springing up to cook food over as the villagers slowly bring their tasks to a halt in order to rest for the next day's work. Yuna and Kimahri start to head over towards the largest fire in the middle of the village, which seems to be serving as an impromptu meeting place, while Wakka heads after Lulu, apparently to speak with the village elder as well. With a final look around the village, I start to head over towards a pier at the edge of the water, hoping to find someplace quiet to think and enjoy a moment of peace. Sand crunches under my feet as I head towards the lone pier, but sounds from behind me cause me to glance back as I walk and realize that Tidus is following me - maybe he has something that he wants to talk about, or maybe he just doesn't know where to go with everyone splitting up. The water, unlike earlier, is peaceful now, almost black in the darkness slowly settling over the island. Looking out at it, I try to relax and rest a bit from the events of the day. My arms and legs are tired from all the fighting and running, and I can feel a circle of mild pain around my waist from where the sheath at my side has caused the clothing to rub and irritate the skin. There's another pain in my stomach, too, but that's more out of hunger than anything - I should probably get some food soon, come to think of it.

"You wouldn't think that something like Sin is out there, looking at it like this," I say to Tidus, leaning over the rail and gesturing out at the water. "It's so quiet now."

"Sure is," he agrees, resting on the rail beside me with his back, the opposite of my posture. "Feeling okay?"

"Hurt, but I'll live. Nothing a little rest and exercise can't fix. And food," I say with a shrug.

"You've got a point," Tidus says, laughing. "What'd you come out here for, though? If you're hungry, why not go eat?"

"I...wanted to think for a bit. Seeing all this hits me kinda hard, since we go through big storms where I'm from too. Not caused by something like Sin, of course. Just really bad weather."

"They cause damage like this?"

"If they hit land, yeah. A lot of times, they stay out in the oceans, but some of them get really nasty if they turn away from the water."

"We never really had weather like that in Zanarkand," Tidus says, nodding in understanding. "Rain, yeah - lots of lightning, but nothing big. Nothing like this."

"Until Sin came," I state. "A tidal wave washing your city away is something that even I've never seen before."

Tidus goes quiet at the words, nothing more said between the two of us for some time as we both simply stand and stare at the water, each lost in our own thoughts.

"Do you miss it?" Tidus asks suddenly, turning back to me. "Your world?"

"...Yeah, I do. I know I chose to come here, but I just wish I knew what I was really doing here. I'm just a kid that doesn't even know anyone important...I don't understand why I'd be picked for something like this."

"You're a summoner now, right? Doesn't that mean you're supposed to save Spira?" Tidus offers.

"Somehow, I don't think that's my job...that sounds more like a job for you and Yuna."

"Me?" the blitzball player asks, surprised. "You think I'm the one that's supposed to save Spira?"

"Didn't Auron say something to you when we left Zanarkand?" I ask, glancing over. "'This is your story,' I believe. If that doesn't say it, I don't know what does."

"You're kidding. You've got more of a role in this than I do!" he exclaims, seeming to toss the idea aside as laughable.

"Tidus, you're the son of possibly the most famous blitzball player to ever walk into a sphere pool. Yuna's the daughter of one of the most prestigious summoners in the last few centuries, from what I hear. Compared to you two, I'm just a minor player."

"How do you know that I'll be the one to help Yuna save the world? How do you know we will save the world?" he asks me, still skeptical.

My eyes turn to him with a hint of a smile as I start to walk back to the village, finally calm and collected again. I needed to go out and think...talk...just get away for a few minutes, and Tidus being around to listen didn't hurt.

"Tell you what. Ask me that again when we get to the end, and I'll tell you."

* * *

The middle of the night out at sea is something that I've never had a chance to experience, but I think that I'd rather never experience it again after this particular chance. It's very quiet out with no one else really awake, which is good, but the gentle rocking of the boat has started to make me just a bit queasy, and being left alone with my thoughts is starting to become more of a hindrance than a help. We're on the way to Luca, along with a few members of that city's blitzball team, the Luca Goers, as well as the entire Kilika Beasts blitzball team. Not only that, but both Tidus and Wakka will be playing along with the rest of the Aurochs in the annual championship – Wakka has stuck more to coaching as of recently, from what I hear. Both of them spent most of the remaining time before bed talking about the game, not to mention arguing with the occasional Goers team member about the Aurochs' talent or lack thereof, which were conversations that I found I'd rather stay out of. Blitzball never interested me much in the game itself, and that seems to have carried over into the 'reality' of the world, as it were.

Instead, my thoughts have turned to a more somber topic. We'll be arriving at Luca soon, but so will others...chief among them being the current head of the Yevonite Clergy, Grand Maester Yo Mika, and one of the newer and more prominent Maesters of Yevon, Seymour Guado. The pair of them are, notably, corrupt in every sense of the word, and I've been thinking for what must be the past hour on a way to throw a figurative wrench into their plans. So far, the only plans I've come up with have the same major shortcoming: my relative power and skill compared to that of either of the pair, specifically Maester Seymour. My mind is still considering things in terms of the game itself, and Seymour is what could be considered 'final boss' material, which I...well, to be blunt, am not. Yet.

My best shot for actually derailing his plans isn't actually something that I need to interfere with at all; if things go as they do in the game, my presence at that event won't matter to begin with. However, I want to make sure that they get away with as little as possible...I just can't seem to think of a good way to do that.

"You still up, brudda?"

Wakka's voice suddenly interrupts me from my thoughts as I see the older Auroch captain walking up to the top deck where I'm standing. Slowly, I nod, looking back up at the half-moon shining out over the sea.

"Can't sleep. Shouldn't you be resting for the games tomorrow?"

Wakka just shrugs, walking up beside me to lean on the railing. "Can't sleep either. Must be nerves, ya?"

"Well, you are playing the Goers tomorrow. That'd make anyone nervous."

The words are out of my mouth before I fully realize what I've said in my half-asleep state - I'm not technically supposed to _know_ that yet. Wakka quirks an eyebrow at my statement; apparently, I wasn't the only one to catch it.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I...I mean, it's obvious you guys are going to make it to the finals, and the Goers aren't gonna let anyone stand in their way either, so it's only natural that you two'll be playing in the finals, right?" I say with fake confidence, hoping that I sound more convincing than I feel. Wakka grins at my statement, nodding and clenching a fist.

"We're coming home this year with the title, for sure."

_'Maybe I should tell him, too...'_

The thought runs unbidden through my mind for a moment, and I consider it carefully. _Should_ I tell Wakka now? Lulu already seems to believe me - or, at least, doesn't think me completely crazy - and that might help my case, given how close they are. Wakka might act goofy, but he's not stupid, and I think he'd listen to me if I told him about everything. I've been shying away from telling Yuna and Kimahri, mostly because I'm afraid as to how they would react, but if both Wakka and Lulu know, two people who she's trusted for years...

"Hey...Wakka? Do you have a few minutes? To talk, I mean."

"Sure, brudda. What's on your mind?"

"Well...it's about something that I've been meaning to tell all of you, but I'm only now getting around to it. I've already talked to Lulu, so I figured it was only fair that I tell you next," I say, taking a deep breath. "It's about where I'm from - really."

"Where you're from? You mean you're not from the village?" Wakka asks, folding his arms.

"Not exactly. I...it's kinda hard to explain without sounding crazy," I remark, sighing. "You know about all the different fayth at the temples, right? The ones who sacrificed themselves to become the Aeons?"

"Sure. We learn about that as children, along with what Sin is and how summoners train to bring the Calm."

"Okay. So, what would you say if I told you that one of those fayth is the very reason not only why I'm a summoner, but why I'm even in this world to begin with?"

Enough beating around the bush, I figure - I may as well just say it, see what his reaction is, and go from there. Trying to tiptoe around the idea isn't going to get me anywhere. There's a moment of silence from Wakka as he seems to realize the full extent of what I said, and his eyes widen.

"You're playin' a joke on me, aren't ya, brudda?"

"No joke," I say, shaking my head slowly. "I couldn't make this up if I tried. I'm not from Spira, Wakka - I'm from an entirely different world altogether. The fayth of Bevelle - Bahamut - offered me the chance to come to Spira to, in his own words, 'be a boon to Lady Yuna's pilgrimage.' Problem is, I don't know exactly what he meant by that. That's what I'm trying to figure out now...just what the reason is that made me decide to come here."

"...You said you talked to Lu first, yeah? What's she think about this story of yours?"

"To be honest, I don't know if she believes me or not. She didn't call me a liar, though, so I think she believes me on some level, at least. Or she thinks I'm completely crazy," I reply, shrugging. Wakka seems to watch me for several seconds, apparently trying to figure out whether I am in fact telling the truth or whether I'm just a really good actor, before he finally turns and looks out towards the water.

"Say you are tellin' the truth. What makes you want to help Yuna so bad that you'd leave your own world to come help out some people you barely know?"

Wakka's choice of words doesn't escape me; apparently, he's realized that I must have had some kind of knowledge of who they are and what Spira is going through to even agree in the first place. The problem is...I don't have an answer to his question.

"...I don't know," I say truthfully, shrugging. "I think that's part of the reason I decided to come, really. I think I want to learn some things about myself that I didn't know before."

"Like a rite of passage?"

"Maybe. I always wanted to do something...more with my life. Maybe this is what I've been looking for."

Wakka just nods from beside me, not saying anything in response as a brief silence rolls over the both of us. I feel like another piece of the weight on my shoulders has just been lifted; I feel like I'm betraying everyone in a way by not telling them the truth about where I'm from, but now I only have Yuna and Kimahri left to tell.

_'And Rikku,'_ I remind myself, ' _though you won't be seeing her again for a long time.'_

"Tell you what," Wakka says, shaking me again from my thoughts, "let's get some sleep. We can talk more about it tomorrow, ya?"

"After you win the championship," I say with a grin, nodding. Wakka laughs, clapping me on the shoulder as he turns around to leave.

"You really think we can win, don't you?"

"Why not? You guys aren't slouches, you know. And now you've got a secret weapon - no one knows what Tidus can do, so they might just write him off as a nobody. Save that secret for the Goers, and they'll never know what hit them."

"Not a bad idea..." Wakka muses, all of a sudden looking extremely interested in something. "G'night, brudda. See you when we get to Luca."

"Night, Wakka."

* * *

"Hey, you awake? We're almost to Luca, brudda - get ready to go!"

My eyes slowly open, squinting shut for a moment at the light coming through the small window in the cabin door before I rub them and slowly open them again to let them adjust. It hadn't taken much for me to fall asleep after I talked with Wakka, and I think it's stressing me out that I haven't been honest with everyone. I'm going to have to tell Yuna and Kimahri before I leave Luca, for sure, or else I don't think I'll feel right about the situation. Sighing, I roll myself out of the small bed inside the cabin, reaching for my socks and shoes a moment later. I'll also have to try and remember to pick myself up some new clothes while I'm in Luca, too - provided I get a chance. Quickly tugging on my shoes and lacing them up, I step out of the cabin and shield my eyes from the sun - they haven't fully adjusted yet - as I look around for the rest of the group. The few crew members on the ship are up and busy as well, mostly walking the ship to make sure everything is in good shape and talking with the passengers, and I can see Wakka and Lulu a short distance from me, staring out at something in the distance.

A few seconds later, as my eyes finally start to adjust to the light, I see what they're looking at. It's all I can do not to gasp at the sight, honestly.

_(Play: Luca – Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_

I've never been around many major cities, coming from a rather rural area, and the sight of Luca is almost unlike anything I've ever personally seen before. Towering buildings are everywhere, structures of shining metal that reach up several stories into the air, all surrounding a central rounded building which I take to be the blitzball stadium - after all, Luca is known for being the center for blitzball in Spira, being the place where the annual tournaments are held each year. On the outside edge, facing us, I can see other ships set around large docks, with a sizable shipyard being our apparent destination based on our current heading.

"So this is Luca..." I murmur, momentarily enraptured by the sight. "It's huge..."

"You've never been to Luca?" Yuna asks me suddenly, almost causing me to jump - I never heard her approach, between my own distraction and the other footsteps around me.

"No," I reply. "Never have been one for big cities."

"Luca is the second-largest city in Spira," Lulu states, looking over towards the two of us. "Only Bevelle, the home of the Maesters, is larger, which serves as the seat of power for those in the Yevonite Clergy."

"Looks like we'll be arriving in the next few minutes," I remark, looking at how close we are to the city. "Where's Tidus?"

"I think he's still in his room," Wakka says. "Can you let him know we're ready to go?"

"Gotcha," I say, nodding and turning back towards the passenger cabins to find Tidus. For that matter, I need to grab the rest of my stuff, too. Quickly, I duck back into my own room and grab the rest of my belongings, making sure that everything is secure before I step back out onto the deck. When I do, I can see Tidus approaching from my left side, and I give a quick wave to get his attention before pointing out towards the city.

"Hey, we're almost to Luca," I state, grinning. "Ready to teach everyone how blitzball is played?"

"You know it," he replies, a similar grin across his face. "Are you gonna watch us play?"

"I don't know," I reply honestly. "Blitzball's not my thing, really - I don't know much about how to play it, so I don't know if I'd find it all that interesting. Plus, I wanted to try and grab some supplies while I was here."

"It's fine," Tidus says with a nod. "We'll bring back the trophy for you to see later!"

That causes me to chuckle - I'd say he was being cocky, but...I'm not so sure he's being overconfident, really.

"You do that. Now, come on - let's get ready to hit the docks. I wanna take a look around this place before the tournament starts...or some of it, at least."

_(End: Luca – Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy X)_  
  
The sounds of dock workers, other ships, and a dozen other myriad sounds assault our ears as we start to pull into the docks at Luca, but one that stands out over all the rest is the sound of a set of loudspeakers. Apparently, the docks have a multitude of large speakers set around the entire area, but today, they seem to have been co-opted for the purpose of the blitzball tournament. I can hear commentators talking about the different teams that will be participating as they start to arrive, and I can see several other ships also letting players disembark as we finally come to a stop inside the harbor. No one makes a move to leave the ship just yet, as the ramp is still being released and lowered to the pier, and so I turn my attention to the announcers, focusing on hearing them over the host of other sounds coming from the docks.

"Coming from dock number two, we have the Kilika Beasts! They're an old hand at the game - in fact, High Summoner Ohalland himself used to play for the Beasts, which means they have a big legacy to live up to!" one of the announcers calls over the sound system, some of the noise seeming to quiet as more people stop what they're doing for a moment to watch the team exit our ship. A series of cheers go up from one of the docks beside us - fans of the Beasts, no doubt - and another announcer's voice also breaks in a few seconds later as the first players start to file off the ship.

"Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin, as well, so I'm sure that they'll be playing their hardest today to try and bring something good back to Kilika. Our thoughts go out to all those in the middle of the tragedy, and we wish them the best of luck today."

One of the dock workers finally gives Wakka and the rest of the Aurochs, who have filed out of their rooms with equipment in hand and gathered at the ramp, the okay to exit the ship, and I can hear the announcers start talking again as they begin to walk down the ramp. No cheers come from the dock as the Aurochs dismount, however, only quiet discussion between those gathered, and it only takes a moment to figure out why.

"Our next team off the ramp is...well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! Folks, this team is a living, breathing, statistical impossibility - in twenty-three years, they've never made it past the first round of the championship! Only a few die-hard fans are with us in the audience today," one announcer states, with the other breaking in a moment later.

"Whether they've lost their fire, or just haven't practiced enough, it looks like it's going to be a long, hard road for them here today. Best of luck to them, though, and a safe journey back to Besaid."

A look somewhere between amusement and annoyance runs across Tidus' face at the announcer's words, and he starts to follow Wakka and the others off the ship as well. I stay close to him, with Yuna and the rest behind me, but the main bulk of the attention now has shifted to the ones exiting behind us.

"Moving right along, our next team is...here they are, folks! Our very own Luca Goers!" the first announcer calls, earning an immediate uproar from the crowd as the Goers' players start waving and cheering for the crowd. "They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're an all around first-class team, and they're finally back home in Luca!"

"Without a doubt, they are the favorite this year, Bobba, just ahead of the Al Bhed Psyches. After the way they dominated last year, with a stunning 5-0 victory to clinch the championship, it would take a miracle for them to lose today," the other announcer chimes in.

"It's like this every year, ya?" I hear Wakka say, putting a hand on Tidus' shoulder. "Goers are the favorite; everyone else is just here to make them look good. Don't let it bother you." Tidus looks even more annoyed now at the derision of his temporary teammates, and he shrugs Wakka's hand off before striding over purposefully to a large shipping crate. Atop the crate is a megaphone, and without hesitation, Tidus clambers up onto the crate and turns to face both the Goers and the majority of the gathered crowd of Goers' fans.

"Stop right there, Goers!" he yells, his voice carrying over nearly everything else at the docks for the moment. "You guys are smilin' now, but you won't be for long! Cause this year, us Aurochs are taking the cup!"

The reactions from the crowd are immediate and mixed - some people are laughing, either at his words or his brazenness, while others suddenly seem interested at the new arrival to the Aurochs' team. Apparently, it seems that most of the blitzball players on a team are well-known, due to the team sizes being so small, and with a potential unknown in the mix...it could be just enough to make some people reconsider their opinions, at least for the moment.

"What in Yevon's name were you doing up there?" Wakka says, reaching up and tugging Tidus down from the box he was on. His teammates, however, don't seem nearly so broken up over it - most of them are laughing, and I can't help but think that Tidus did exactly what he needed to in order to raise everyone's spirits.

"We sure stood out, though!"

"We were on the sphere!" another of the Aurochs exclaims, pointing up towards a large screen set into the side of one of the taller buildings and causing the rest of the Aurochs to look excitedly upwards as well.

"Tidus, I have to say, you've got spirit," I say, resisting the urge to laugh. "Course, I think you might need to tone it down just a bit – or go louder, one of the two."

"I don't think you should encourage him, brudda!" Wakka says with a laugh, apparently having decided to just let it slide.

"Ah, he'll be fine," I reply, "once he gets a chance to take out all that nervous energy of his in the sphere pool."

"I'm not nervous!" Tidus retorts, putting his hands on his hips. "I'm the best there is at this game!"

"Then you've got your chance to prove it, right here," I tell him, grinning. "Better not mess up."

The Aurochs begin talking among themselves, eagerly talking about the game to come as they start to head off from the docks - probably to get checked in and set up in their locker room - when Yuna walks back up to us alongside Kimahri. I didn't even notice the two of them leave, but Yuna seems very excited about something now.

"Guess what, everyone! Maester Mika is here!"

"Maester?" Tidus asks, confused at the title Yuna has just used. "Mika? Who is that?"

"Maester Mika - or, to be more accurate, Grand Maester Yo Mika - is the leader of all the peoples of Spira. He is visiting Luca all the way from Bevelle for this tournament, which is being held in his honor to celebrate his fifty years of service as the Grand Maester of Yevon," Lulu explains. I'm noticing more and more now that Lulu seems to have taken on a teacher-like role for Tidus, explaining a lot of things about people and places that he doesn't know.

"Fifty years?" Tidus asks, clearly surprised by Mika's long tenure in the office. "Shouldn't he be, uh...retired by now?"

"Hey, mind your mouth, now," Wakka comments, glancing over at Tidus. "Not many people have spent half that time as the Grand Maester."

"We should all go see him!" Yuna says happily, clearly very enthused at the idea of getting to personally see the Grand Maester himself. Nods come from all around, even though my thoughts are again swirling at the idea of seeing both Mika and Seymour, and the six of us start to head off towards the number three dock, where a large ship adorned with brightly-painted white symbols of Yevon currently rests. A number of other people are also making their way there, and the crowd is getting larger as we come closer to the dock itself, In the minute or two that it takes us to reach the pier, several dozen people have already gathered in hopes of seeing Grand Maester Mika as well.

"Can't see a thing...!" Tidus moans, hopping around to try and find a better viewpoint of the ship.

"Calm down," I say to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it - let's just move over a bit so that we can see."

With a quick nod from Tidus, the two of us move around a portion of the crowd, finally coming to a point where Tidus can see the ramp to the ship just as a figure begins to descend it. The man in question is dressed in ornate ceremonial robes, either dark purple or black in color with a second layer of bright red fabric lining the bottom and covering part of his chest, leaving the robes partially open from the waist up. Gray-colored designs are drawn onto the entire lower portion of the robes, and the man appears to have tattoos of some kind on his chest near the shoulders, but the most unusual feature about him is his hair - parted into three long sections, one at the front and one at each side that go out and down from his head, and a bright blue in coloration, it ensures that he would stand out in a crowd no matter the composition or situation. A cheerful and gospel-like orchestral tune has also begun to play as he descends the ramp, and he stops at the bottom before sweeping his gaze across the gathered crowd, performing the gesture of prayer which is quickly returned by those present, myself included. I am still a summoner, so like it or not, I need to show the proper respect…regardless of whether I actually hold said respect for the one in question.

A second figure appears at the top of the ramp a few seconds later, and the entire crowd quiets in reverence as a white-haired, bearded man slowly walks down the ramp to join the first man, who kneels as the older man approaches. The older figure's clothing is more like what I expected of a religious official; his clothing is more like a set of priestly robes, sporting a triangular piece below the neck in a dark black color and rectangular patterns of all colors and sizes, and a simple black hat with gold trim.

"People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome," he says, his wizened voice still carrying easily across the immediate area as he gestures to the one beside him. "Rise, Maester Seymour." His companion stands up again without a word, simply continuing to watch the crowd as the elderly leader addresses them. "It is my great honor to present to you the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know, he has officially been ordained a Maester of Yevon, and will be returning with me to Bevelle following this event to begin his duties."

"I am Seymour Guado," the blue-haired man states, his voice smooth but holding an unmistakable accent to it that I can't really place. "I am honored to receive the title of Maester. In life, my father Jyscal worked tirelessly to foster friendship between man and Guado, and I vow to carry on his legacy and fulfill my duties as a Maester of Yevon to the best of my abilities."

Murmurs come from the assembled crowd for a few brief seconds before everyone in the crowd begins to bow their head in reverence. Despite the situation, I just frown and turn away silently. Everyone else may be taken in by his words, but I already know what kind of person he really is, and nothing he can say or do will change that.

"You okay?" Tidus asks - apparently, he noticed the way I was watching the two clergymen.

"I'll be fine. Just...thinking about some things I want to take care of," I say, deciding that telling half the truth is better than no truth at all. "I think I might go ahead and try to do some shopping. Want to meet back up with the Aurochs and get ready? If I'm back quick enough, I'll sit down and watch you guys play, too."

While it isn't entirely the truth, I still have the money I was given back on Besaid, and in a place like this, saving it isn't likely to do me any good when I have a need for things like curative potions or clothing.

"Good idea," he says, nodding. "Just keep listening - we're gonna wipe the floor with the Goers!"

"Looking forward to it," I say with a smirk. "Maybe they'll learn that they shouldn't be so quick to judge others for a change."


	14. Equivalent Exchange

"Ah...that's better," I say with a sigh, finally stepping out of the last shop I intend to visit on my trip here to Luca. I had never expected such a mundane activity such as shopping to take such a serious slant before, but as I walk out of the tiny shop along one of the side streets of the city, I suddenly realize that it isn't as simple of a matter to purchase supplies as it is in a game. Instead of the bag I brought from home, I now have a trio of pouches hung from the side of my belt, each of them carrying a few small vials of curative potions and mana-restoring mixtures. I was careful not to get too much, for several reasons – first, I don't have enough space to hold much at all in the pouches, unlike the nearly unlimited inventories in most games, and I have to consider the fact that even a little too much weight could be a bother when you're fighting for your life, let alone the idea that some of it might break if I land wrong. Even though I apparently don't have much need to use my mana, I decided to get a few of the restorative elixirs anyway, figuring that either I may eventually have a need for them or that someone else will, likely Yuna or Lulu. I also grabbed a bottle of water, only realizing how truly thirsty I was after seeing them inside the store.

Trying to be prepared for everything is something that I'm trying to take to heart early on here, given that I don't know if anything I'm familiar with will still be applicable now that I'm here. While I already know the storyline of the game and how things are supposed to go, the fact that I'm here now is the same as throwing another variable into the control group for a science experiment - it could have absolutely no effect, or it could alter everything about the actual experiment itself. I have no way of telling if I'll affect anything by being here, or what I might affect, so I figure that I need to keep my wits about me and be ready for whatever might come.

Another order of business was making a slight change to my wardrobe. After just a couple fights, I've already decided that I need to be as mobile as possible, because I'm not built to take hits from anything very well. Instead of my dark khaki pants, I've now replaced them with a simple pair of tan shorts, keeping the black leather belt that I had before. With nothing to do with my khakis, I decided to just get rid of them, figuring that I'll be in another town or city to change again if needed. The only place I can think of that I might need to have new clothing for is visiting Mount Gagazet, which is still some distance away, and I should have plenty of time to get the necessary clothing before then.

The last thing that I did with most of the rest of my money was to get a new weapon. The blade I brought from home, while durable enough for combat, is a lot heavier than I would like, but it was the only one that I had which could stand up to actual fighting. That blade is now slung over my shoulder for the time being, with a different sword hanging at my left hip. My new blade is shorter and smaller than my old one, with a black sheath, bronze-colored rectangular guard, and a white hilt wrapped in black cloth. It's also much lighter than my former weapon, making it much easier for me to swing it one-handed; the sword that I was using is one which is more suited to a style of fighting that uses both hands on the blade, which I don't really prefer. My current plan is to leave my old sword with the Aurochs and have them take it back to Besaid to Wakka or Lulu's home - one way or another, I'll either get it back when this is over, or I won't have a need for it any more.

Personally, I'm hoping for the former.

"All in all...good day so far," I say to myself, starting to head back towards a small café a few blocks from the shop I was just at. Yuna, Lulu, and Kimahri had met us just after Seymour left, with the ever-cheerful summoner explaining that someone had seen Auron in a café not too far from the docks, and they had decided to try and meet up with him - that left Tidus and Wakka to meet up with the Aurochs to prepare for the game, and gave me some time to finish my own shopping. I haven't seen or heard from Tidus or Wakka, so presumably they're either about to begin a game or they're in the middle of one right now, and Yuna and the others are probably still at the café. It's a nice day to be outside, though, and right now I'm just glad to be walking out in the sunny weather.

_'Wait a minute...aren't I forgetting something...?'_

My walking suddenly slows a bit as my thoughts turn to confusion - suddenly, I'm having the strangest feeling that I'm forgetting something, almost like I meant to get something at one of the stores but didn't think to do so. Looking down at my belt, I start running through everything that I bought - clothes, potions, weapon...and I'm going to get food at the café, so I certainly didn't need to worry about that.

"So, I didn't forget to buy anything," I murmur, lost in my own thoughts and talking out loud. "Then, what..."

All at once, my mind suddenly snaps back into reality as I realize what I'm forgetting. It's not what I didn't get, it's where I'm not at.

_'The café! Yuna's there, and she's not the only one!'_

Instantly, I break into a run - I've been so caught up for the whole time I've been shopping, I completely forgot that there's something that happens here that I meant to stop. Moving as fast as my legs will carry me, I start racing past buildings and people alike, headed for the café that I saw earlier. Hopefully, I'm not too late, but something in my mind tells me that I already blew my chances.

* * *

I'm solidly out of breath by the time I finally reach the small café again, and I decide to take a moment to compose myself before I walk in. One thing that I am not is a distance runner; my body is built more for sprinting short distances quickly, and a few blocks would take a lot out of me even if I were pacing myself, let alone pushing myself as hard as I can. Wiping some sweat from my arms and face, I finally pull open the wooden door leading to the inside of the building, and I'm immediately greeted by cooler air along with the scents of fresh food. The inside looks much like I'd expect out of a café or coffee shop, with a counter and bar area for serving drinks, tables and booths for dining, and - the most unique change - large spheres serving the same purpose as televisions set up in corners of the room and above the long counter. My eyes start scanning the area, looking around for any sign of the three who are supposed to be here...and I finally relax as I catch sight of Kimahri, followed by Yuna and Lulu a moment later, who are sitting nearby. The Ronso is standing against the wall, towering over the many who are gathered in the small café yet somehow still managing to make himself mostly inconspicuous. Yuna and Lulu are each sitting at the counter with glasses in front of them - what looks like milk, as best I can tell.

 _'If this place has milk, I'm sold,'_ I think to myself, smiling as I start to head over to meet the three again. A quick wave alerts them to my presence as I walk towards them, with Kimahri noticing me first and alerting the other two, and I get a similar wave from Yuna and a nod from Lulu as I take a seat on a stool beside the latter.

"Finally made it back," I comment, looking between the two. "Anything interesting happen while I was out?"

"Not that we've seen," Yuna replies, shaking her head. "Where did you go?"

"Just shopping," I remark, shrugging. "Wanted to pick up some supplies for the pilgrimage. Got some potions, new clothes, a new weapon...nothing terribly out of the ordinary."

"Understandable," Lulu says. "You can never be too prepared. Many summoners have failed long before they reached Bevelle, felled not by fiends, but by their own failure to properly steel themselves for the journey."

"Good point," I add, shifting a bit on my stool and glancing around. I still can't shake the bad feeling that I've got, even though - by all appearances - Yuna is safe, with no sign of trouble. "Did Tidus already head to the stadium?"

"He was here, for a time," Lulu replies. "He seemed as if he knew Sir Auron, and was quite interested in seeing him again...unfortunately, we've seen no sign of him here. It's likely that what we heard was either incorrect, or that he had already left by the time we got here. Tidus headed to the stadium once it was apparent that Auron would not be arriving."

_'This is wrong...there are supposed to be Al Bhed here, a few that try to kidnap Yuna...but Lulu, Kimahri, and Tidus save her. But Tidus isn't here - he went to the stadium to play, instead of out with everyone here, looking for Auron...did I change that by being here? Did just being here mean that Yuna won't have anyone here to try and kidnap her? Or is it just off-schedule somehow?'_

My mind is already going into full-on panic mode - I don't know at the moment whether things have changed, whether they have yet to change, or even if they will change, and I don't like all the uncertainty that's coming about as a result.

"...Are you okay?" Yuna asks, causing my gaze to snap back to her in surprise. "You look...nervous."

"No, no," I say quickly, shaking my head. "It's nothing. Everything's fi -"

My impending statement is quickly and utterly refuted as a resounding crash shakes the building, the result of the doors - and part of the wall to the café - being shattered musically by something massive and metallic. As all attention turns to the front of the building, accompanied by screams and the onset of general panic, my eyes go wide as I notice the source of the attack. The machine responsible for the damage is taller than the ceiling of the store by several feet and has a spherical shape with a hole set in the front that resembles the barrel of a cannon, with the entire bulk of the frame supported by a triangular series of reverse-jointed 'legs.' Atop the main body of the machine are what look like two cylindrical turbines, spinning and emitting a loud humming noise, and two wide, curved pieces of metal with purple panels embedded into them encircle the turbines nearly a full three hundred and sixty degrees, leaving a small gap at the front.

What thoughts in my mind which were devolving into increasing trepidation have now hit the previously-approaching panic mode, and my new blade is out of my sheath before I fully register the movement myself, already shouting a warning to everyone around and dropping the other blade from my shoulder to rest on the ground beside the counter. In an instant, Kimahri has snatched his spear and moved in front of Yuna and Lulu, while the black mage is channeling electrical magic in her hands to cast at the mechanical intruder.

"Kimahri!" I yell, turning to the Ronso. "We have to get this thing out of here!"

No further words need to be said to the blue-furred guardian, it seems, as he is already leaping into action even as I finish my sentence. In mid-movement, his spear swats aside an object fired from the 'cannon' of the machine in front of us, and he quickly closes to point-blank range with it to try and push it back. Comparatively, however, Kimahri is only around half the height of the machine if that, and I can already see him straining just to keep it in place and stop it from moving into the building.

"Kad dra cissuhan!"

Shouts from behind the machine alert me to the fact that we're not alone, and though I don't understand the words, when an Al Bhed jumps through the rubble that used to be a wall and points at Yuna, who is trying to make sure that everyone who hasn't already escaped gets out the side entrance, there isn't any doubt as to the implications of the gesture.

"You are _not_ taking her!" I shout, brandishing my blade at the kidnapper in front of me. Lulu has held off on her spell, it seems; if Kimahri is touching the machine, he may get electrocuted along with it, and that's not a risk that she seems to be willing to take. I can see Kimahri's feet sliding across the floor as the machine is pushing him back, though he's trying his best not to budge, and there isn't anything I can do to help him - my added effort isn't going to matter against something like that, and I can't even use a summoning to attack it without the risk of hurting Kimahri or someone else by accident.

Another shout erupts from beside us, and two blurs of dark and pale blue suddenly come flying in from our right, crashing into the machine and effectively halting the sudden advance. Kimahri seems to stop momentarily out of surprise, as there are now two Ronso flanking him on either side and helping push the machine back, and I can easily hear the words of the pale blue, lion-like creature as he grins at Kimahri.

"Look at little Kimahri, Biran, trying so hard!"

The dark blue beast gives a snort of acknowledgement, grunting and pressing his weight into the machine to force it back a step.

"Biran and Yenke will show little Kimahri how to fight like true Ronso warriors!"

Both of the newly-arrived Ronso are quite a bit larger than Kimahri; the shorter of the two, the one with pale blue skin, is probably a little over seven feet, and both of them are extremely muscular. They each have complete horns atop their head, as well, in comparison to Kimahri's broken horn, and are wearing what look like some kind of leather armor on their shoulders, chest, forearms, and legs, along with loincloths instead of any proper clothing.

Not only that, but with their help, the machina has completely been halted in its advance, giving the Al Bhed along with it a moment of pause. Seeing no opportunity like the present, I start calling up power from inside me, starting to cast the only magic spell I currently know over my body.

"Time to break through!"

A haze of red energy builds up around me briefly before settling over my body, lending it a red sheen that covers my entire form as the _Haste_ spell takes effect, and I smirk as I focus on the nearest kidnapper to me. He takes a step back, but that isn't enough to matter as I rush towards his position, the magic lending me extra speed and agility as the hilt of my blade connects with the side of his head in an instant, tossing him aside. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see energy shimmer around both Biran and Yenke, and as one they leap into the air, spinning and delivering a powerful thrusting kick to the machine. The results are impressive - the force of the combined attack knocks the machine completely back out of the restaurant, setting it stumbling and causing an ugly wrenching noise as metal bends under the attack. A second kidnapper runs by in my peripheral vision, but finds out that Yuna isn't exactly defenseless as the end of her staff comes across in a jabbing strike that knocks the wind out of him, letting her make her way to Lulu's side as we start to get out of the restaurant. The machina is still blocking our path, and there's only going to be one way to get out of here - namely, taking it down.

_(Play: Summoned Without Reason (The Second Act) - Sixto Sounds, OverClocked Remix: Summoning of Spirits)_

More _Haste_ magic flows around my fingers, but this time, the spell isn't directed at me - rather, this time it engulfs Lulu, lending her extra speed with which to cast her spells. Lightning-element magic is bound to be extremely effective against the machine, after all, and it would be much better for her to be able to cast faster than for me to strike with my blade, given how weak it would be against the thick metal. Kimahri's spear flies out as I finish casting my spell, the Ronso delivering a sharp slash across the machine that emits a horrible screech as metal contacts metal. The machina responds by shifting to face him, suddenly releasing a barrage of objects from the cannon at the Ronso and forcing him back onto the defensive. One of the objects falls back to the ground a few seconds later, and the sight of it gives Lulu momentary pause as she realizes what it is.

"Blitzballs?" she asks, looking over at me and Yuna.

"Yeah," I reply, nodding. "It shoots blitzballs - strange idea, but if it hurts, it works."

Lulu's only reply to my statement is to turn back to the machine and let fly a _Thunder_ spell, the bolt of magical lightning striking the construct's cannon and sending sparks of electricity arcing over the front of the metal. She immediately readies another one and prepares to fire it, but the machine begins to stomp forward as she does, barreling right through the second spell as it's released and bringing one of the large, curved sections of its frame down in an attempt to crush her with the makeshift 'arm.' Before I can manage to do anything, Kimahri is already in motion, and he grabs Lulu in time to leap away from the 'swing,' leaving the machine's frame to smash a large divot into the street beside them.

"Alright, so it can improvise, too...nice to know," I mutter, being careful to keep my distance now so that it doesn't try to crush me next. Yuna seems to be preparing for a summon as I look over at her, and I bring my sword back up as I watch her, realizing that it isn't a bad idea. I can't really hurt thick metal with my tiny blade...but maybe I can warp it with fire.

"Valefor!"

Yuna's cry signals the creation of the magical summoning glyph underneath her feet, and magic shimmers in the air as the avian-esque, multicolored summon materializes in the air above her to answer the call, hovering protectively over the one who summoned it. Smirking, I start to focus on a summoning of my own, preparing to add another Aeon's power to the mix.

"Ifrit, let's go!"

As I take my stance, a similar summoning glyph surrounds me for an instant before shining brightly and seeming to melt, the energy flowing onto my body before coalescing into a more solid form. Thick boots and bracers for my lower legs form first, seemingly made out of leather with curving red designs adorning them, and more armor forms over my forearms and shoulders moments later, sporting similar traceries and brown fur coverings on both. A pair of leather gloves is next, with black lines running across the backs of the fingers like the Aeon's sharp claws, followed by a leather breastplate also covered in more of the red decoration. Last, a sturdy leather helm covers my head, with two black horns identical to the Aeon's own jutting from the top and curving back.

 _'Alright...not bad at all,'_ I think to myself, taking a moment to scan over the appearance of my new form. It's a bit more protected than when I was channeling Valefor's power, and I feel physically stronger than usual as well, not to mention that I now seem to know instinctively how to call up fire on command.

_'Time to see if my idea works.'_

"Yuna!" I cry, getting the summoner's attention as Valefor's wing guards another barrage of blitzballs from the machine. "I'm going to try and weaken the metal - see if you can get Valefor to open up this tin can once I do!"

"Right!" she replies, nodding quickly and turning back to her Aeon as I prepare to attack. It takes me a moment to focus, but orbs of fire start to burst into existence in my hands as I concentrate, expanding and beginning to float over my palms once they reach roughly the size of a blitzball themselves. Looking for any kind of a weak point on the machina and finding none, I finally settle a moment later for targeting the only thing I can think of that would hurt the machine's offense - namely, the cannon it has been firing blitzballs from. The twin orbs of flame rocket towards the machine and strike the cannon...only to do next to nothing, each flame burst only exploding with about as much force as one of Lulu's _Fire_ spells.

 _'...I am_ not _a spellcaster, apparently,'_ I think with a grimace, only to have my eyes widen a moment later as a flash of blue flies into my vision. The next thing I know, I'm off my feet and being tossed back through the air with my chest throbbing painfully, only to land on the Luca street like a rag doll.

"Ben!"

Yuna's cry is accompanied by a screech from Valefor, and I can vaguely see the Aeon start to strike the machina before it with bursts of wind from its wings even as something else - or rather, someone else - comes into my field of vision. Surprisingly, Lulu is the one to help me back to my feet, keeping me steady for a moment as I regain my bearings. A mighty roar from Kimahri splits the air around us an instant later, and I watch as his spear starts to shimmer with light as he leaps high into the air before slamming down onto the machine with intense force, his body fueled by the energy of his most basic _Overdrive_ technique. Staggered from the force, the machine wobbles as smoke starts to rise from where Kimahri struck - apparently, the spear pierced through something vital. The Ronso strikes again before the machine throws him off, but the damage is already done; sparks are now arcing around the turbines the machine is using to power itself, and if I didn't know any better...I'd say it was going to explode.

Another bright flash of light causes me to blink, momentarily shutting my eyes to keep from being completely blinded, and I'm able to catch a quick glimpse of energy bursting through the air as well as hear the sounds of wrenching metal. The turbines suddenly fall from the machina's top to land on the Luca street with a crash, followed by the cannon in front of the machine and finally the machine itself, the remaining legs and other parts severed from its frame by Valefor's _Energy Ray_ skill. Smoking, battered, and shredded, it seems that the machina won't be giving us any further problems, and the Al Bhed that were accompanying it seem to have already run off - probably while we were occupied.

_(End: Summoned Without Reason (The Second Act) - Sixto Sounds, OverClocked Remix: Summoning of Spirits)_

"Are you hurt?" Lulu asks me, to which I simply shake my head in acknowledgment.

"Just my pride. I'll live," I remark, rubbing my chest where the blitzball struck. I'll likely have a nasty bruise there and a few cuts from hitting the street, but nothing serious. "You?"

"I'm fine," she replies, nodding. "Yuna?"

"I'm okay," Yuna tells her guardian, looking relieved that everyone is mostly uninjured. Kimahri is the last to join us, but besides looking a bit winded, he appears to be unharmed. The _Overdrive_ technique he used probably took a lot out of him, especially after the strain of trying to keep the mechanical construct out of the café. "What about the two Ronso who helped us?"

A quick look around reveals no sign of the whereabouts of our two unexpected allies - they must have departed in the confusion. "Biran and Yenke? No sign of them."

"They seemed to know you, Kimahri...are they old friends?"

"Kimahri knows Biran...knows Yenke. Fellow hunters from Gagazet. Strong Ronso, fierce warriors."

Kimahri's response on the matter is quite terse, his tone calm yet with an undertone of irritation - not directed at Yuna, but at the subjects of the conversation. His relationship with the two Ronso seems to still be quite frosty, from the looks of things.

_'One thing's for sure...I've got work to do. I felt useless there, even with Ifrit's help. I wonder how I make these forms stronger, anyway...'_

"Ben?"

"Hm?" Yuna's voice snaps me out of my thoughts, causing me to look over at the summoner.

"We should see what we can do to help here...there's a lot of damage to the building, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind some help cleaning up."

"Got it. What about Tidus and Wakka?"

"We'll find them at the stadium once we're finished here," Lulu interjects. "They had only begun the first game before we were attacked, so we will have plenty of time."

"Alright," I reply, shrugging lightly. "Let's see what we can do to help clean up here, then."


	15. Hubris

“Finally...” I mutter, wiping the sheen of sweat from my face as I lean against what’s left of the wall of the café that was damaged by the Al Bhed attack. We’ve spent probably the last hour or two helping clean up some of the damage, taking broken tables and stone out of the shop front along with cleaning up broken glass and dishes. There isn’t a whole lot we can do at the moment about the destroyed front wall, but the shop owner assured us that it would be taken care of. I still feel like we’re responsible for the damages, given that the Al Bhed being after Yuna was the reason for the destruction, but the owner assured us that we weren’t at fault. The whole thing made me wonder what they even wanted Yuna for in the first place, and it took me a bit of thinking to remember - the Aurochs are playing the Al Bhed Psyches for their first match, having been given a bye in the opening round of games, and they wanted to use Yuna as leverage to force the Aurochs to lose.

If nothing else, the Aurochs’ sudden addition of Tidus seemed to have unnerved the greater portion of the field, if they wanted the Aurochs out badly enough to kidnap a summoner on their pilgrimage to try and force it. It almost seems surreal to me, but things like that happen back on Earth, too...so I guess it’s not as farfetched as it seems to be.

“Ben,” Lulu says, walking up to me from where she was standing at the counter. “We’re about to leave.”

“Okay,” I reply, brushing my hair back and pushing off the wall as I see Yuna and Kimahri walk off ahead of us. “We’re going to the stadium, I guess?”

“Yes. Wakka wanted us to watch them play the Goers. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him this excited about something.”

“They won?” I ask, a bit surprised. I knew Tidus was good, but for him to turn a team considered the weakest in the ‘league,’ or whatever they have here, into a team capable of beating the top-ranked teams is definitely a surprise.

“They did. It was a close game, but they managed.”

“Wow...maybe all of Tidus’ bragging isn’t just him running his mouth,” I comment, feeling my respect for the blitzer go up a notch.

“Wakka seems to be convinced that he’s their secret weapon,” Lulu stated with a mild shrug. “I only hope he isn’t getting in over his head, as usual.”

“Yeah...” I mutter, taking a quick look back at the shop as we start to walk outside towards the stadium. “Lulu...can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“How much do you know about this...alternative summoning style that I seem to have?”

“Very little,” she replies, looking over at me as we walk. “All that I really know about it is what I mentioned to you before at Kilika.”

“Okay, then...” I start, trying to figure out a way to word my question so that it makes sense. “You said that the power of the Aeon is drawn into the summoner, using them as a conduit for the fayth’s power, right?”

“Correct.”

“Back there, when we were fighting that machine, I tried to use a fire attack on it. It didn’t do much of anything; in fact, I think your basic spells were stronger than my attack. If I was using Ifrit’s power in addition to my own, shouldn’t it...you know, have been a bit stronger?”

There’s a few moments of silence from the both of us as Lulu seems to contemplate my question, considering the implications of what I’ve asked. “Perhaps this has something to do with your...unique situation,” she finally says.

“You mean where I’m from?”

“In a manner of speaking. I have been studying magic since I was nine years old, and consider myself fairly accomplished. How long have you been using magic?”

“...A couple days, maybe?” I say sheepishly, realizing where she seems to be going with this. “So it’s just because I’m inexperienced?”

“I would suspect so. You had no knowledge of magic before coming here; it’s likely that your inexperience is largely the problem.”

“Wait a minute, then. I used a Haste spell back there without a problem, so...why did that spell work just fine, while my attack spell fizzled?” I ask, trying to get a better understanding of my own abilities.

“Haste is an enhancing spell, as you know,” Lulu replies, her tone taking on more of a teaching slant to it. “Unlike offensively-based magic, enhancing and debilitating spells such as Haste or Slow have little to do with the power or skill of the user. If the mage is skilled enough to cast the spell, they work at a static level of power and effect with little regards to the sheer magical ability of the mage in question.”

“So you’re saying that if I learn a spell that either boosts some kind of attribute or hinders one, that it won’t mess up like my attack spells seem to for now?”

“Correct. I would suspect that if you learn any curative magic, you will have the same problems as with offensive magic. Perhaps even more so, as curative spells tend to require a higher level of skill to properly utilize than spells used to attack.”

A sigh escapes my lips before I can stop it - there’s curative magic on my Sphere Grid as well, and it’s looking like that will be mostly useless until I have some time to practice it.

“Any exceptions to that rule, maybe?”

“Esuna, being a spell designed specifically to cure debilitating effects rather than physical injury, should work at a static level of power similar to Haste. Provided you have the skill to learn it, that is.”

It’s only now that I’m starting to realize how little I really know about magic. Selecting the right commands from a menu in a game is easy, but when you’re dealing with actual magic and having to understand and deal with your own limitations, it’s not nearly as simple to get used to.

“Lulu...would you be willing to teach me some things? How to use magic better, and more about what it really is and how it works?”

Those words are one of the hardest things I’ve had to say in a long time, but I’m still glad I decided to say them. I’ve always been a bright kid, someone who has only rarely had to ask people for help figuring things out, but I can tell even now that if I don’t get some help while I have the chance, it’ll be bad for me later on. What happens if I don’t take this chance, and someone ends up getting hurt that I could’ve helped if I only knew how to use healing magic better? It hurts my pride to have to ask for help, but at the same time I know that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if my pride got in the way of helping someone I care about.

“Of course. Summoners need to be strong, you know.”

“...Thanks,” I say, not really sure what to say for a moment. I hadn’t expected her to actually agree, in all honesty. “You know, I...I kinda thought you’d just brush me off or make fun of me for asking.”

“And why would I do that?” she asks, glancing over at me as the stadium comes into view.

“Well, it’s just...” I start, fumbling for the right words for a moment before shaking my head. “Never mind. Just...thanks. I appreciate it.”

Lulu merely nods as we continue to walk, and I can see Yuna and Kimahri getting tickets up ahead to enter the stadium. I can already hear the roar of the crowd gathered to watch the finals, and a part of me is eager to see both the inside of the stadium and what the game itself is really like.

“Do you think they have a chance?” I ask suddenly, causing Lulu to turn back to me with a momentary look of confusion. “The Aurochs, I mean. You think they can win here?”

“Anything is possible,” Lulu replies. “Wakka has played for most of his life, and despite what everyone seems to think, he’s actually rather skilled.”

“I just hope there isn’t any trouble...” I say quietly, stepping up to the ticket booth and paying for my own ticket inside.

“You’re expecting something to happen?”

“Well, the Goers and the Aurochs really don’t like each other. Where I’m from, that usually leads to a lot of bad blood on the field...er, in the sphere, in this case. I don’t know what the rules are in blitzball, but I wouldn’t rule out any dirty play just yet.”

“I’m sure Wakka can keep things under control.”

“Yeah, but what about Tidus?”

My statement seems to hang in the air for a bit as we walk inside, neither of us saying anything further as we start to make our way up to our seats. The stadium itself is incredibly large - I’ve only seen a professional sports stadium once before in my life, so the sight of everything is pretty awe-inspiring at first. It looks like it can hold tens of thousands of people, maybe the whole population of Luca. Which, the more I think about it, was probably the intention when it was first built. We’re pretty far up - being late to a major sporting event always means you get the bad seats - but that just gives us a clear view of the entire stadium, which I actually like more than being closer to the sphere pool. I was never a big fan of blitzball when I played the game, and that hasn’t really changed despite the game becoming my reality.

“Hello, everyone, and welcome to our final match of the tournament! I wouldn’t have believed this matchup if I hadn’t seen it myself, Jimma, but it’s really here and really happening!”

“If you had told me yesterday that we’d be watching the Besaid Aurochs turn in a performance that can only be described as miraculous, well, I’d be asking you what kind of dream world we were living in now, Bobba.”

The announcers’ voices over the loudspeakers jostle me from my sightseeing, and I quickly start to make my way over to my seat - easier said than done with all the screaming, excited fans around. Lulu is right behind me, but she stops a few seats away from me and sits down as I keep moving down the aisle.

“Wonder where Yuna and Kimahri are...” I mutter, almost unable to hear myself talk over the din around me. “She’ll be okay with Kimahri with her, at least.” Sighing, I decide to just sit back and enjoy the game for the time being. There’s no sense in worrying over things I can’t do anything about, after all...but I’m going to keep my eyes open, just in case.

* * *

When I said to Lulu that there might be bad blood during the game, I had expected maybe a little too much rough contact, maybe some late hits and choice insults...the typical stuff I’ve seen during rival games in football and the like.

I didn’t expect a near street fight in the sphere pool.

The Goers jumped off to an early lead nearly in the first minute, taking an easy goal and then proceeding to mock the Aurochs for their lack of focus, and that seemed to put some steel in Wakka’s spine. Only two minutes later, they tied things up with a bit of fancy passing and good aim on the part of the Auroch’s captain, but that was when the trouble really started. The Goers seemed to shift from scoring points to making Wakka regret ever getting into the pool for the entire rest of the first half, brutalizing him with hard tackles at every opportunity until the red-haired blitzballer looked like he could barely get himself to swim. When everyone broke for halftime, Wakka almost had to be helped out of the pool, and I could see the worry in Lulu’s eyes as he made his way back to the locker room.

Still no sign of any real trouble, though, which is a relief.

“I don’t like this,” I say to Lulu, turning to face her and trying to speak up over the din of the stadium.

“I can’t say that I’m enjoying what Wakka is going through either,” Lulu replies, causing me to shake my head.

“That too, but that’s not what I mean. How many people are here, you think? Five thousand? Ten? Pretty much all of Luca turned out for this game, and I’m sure there are people here from other places too. You know what happens when a lot of people are together in one place...”

“...You believe that Sin will come,” the mage says, figuring out the gist of my words.

“Uh huh. I know that the Crusaders help protect this place, but...even they probably won’t be able to stand up to it if it decides it really wants to wreck this city.”

“Then it seems like we have little choice but to hope it does not,” she tells me, causing me to sigh.

“Yeah. I hate to say it, but our little group won’t make a big difference against Sin if all the Crusaders in the city can’t hold it off.”

Neither of us say anything to the other for the next few minutes, leaving me free to examine the stadium as halftime draws to a close. The change in the spectators is the first thing I notice - and believe me, it’s easily noticeable. Whereas almost no one was cheering for the Aurochs before, now there are a multitude of people in the stands cheering and shouting for the Aurochs - and Wakka - to come back out and finish off the Goers. Most people before seemed to have thought that the Aurochs would be nothing more than a speedbump on the way to a Goers victory, but it seems like a lot of those same fans might be starting to have some second thoughts.

“I’ll be right back,” I say to Lulu, leaning in so she can hear me better over the renewed cheering of the fans. “Think I’m going to go up to the upper deck for a minute just to see what the view is like.”

“Just be careful,” Lulu says. “It looks like the second half is about to start.”

“Yeah, I will,” I reply, standing up from my seat and starting to head out to the aisle in order to move further up. I’ve only been to a stadium once before in my life, but most of this stadium is very similar to the one that I visited - except that the upper deck on this stadium, unlike the one I’ve seen, extends out over the middle portion of the stands to let the spectators there get a bit closer view of the action. As I start making my way up the steps to enter the upper deck, I can hear the crowd suddenly explode into full-on roaring as the announcers’ voices return to signal the start of the second half. Quickly, I run the rest of the way up the steps and to the nearest aisle, following it down to the railing in order to get a look at the sphere pool again.

“What’s this? The Aurochs have made a substitution to start off the second half!”

As the Aurochs start to trail out from the locker room into the sphere pool again, I can just faintly see the distinctive outfit belonging to Tidus entering the pool behind the rest of the team. A chuckle escapes my mouth as I watch Tidus start to swim around and warm up - the Goers don’t know what they’re about to get themselves into now with him in the pool. Still, I can’t shake the nagging feeling that things still aren’t right. I know from playing the game that monsters show up here, but I can’t quite remember if it’s during the game or after...or even if they’ll show up at all. My presence here doesn’t seem to have changed much in the way of major events just yet, but I can definitely say that Biran and Yenke helping against the Al Bhed was not what I expected to see earlier. If that was caused by me being here, then who knows what else might change as a result.

Right now, though, I really just want to see Tidus and the Aurochs put the Goers in their place. Quickly, I start to make my way back down to my seat on the middle section as the second half gets underway. I’ve never been much of a fan of the blitzball minigame from the game itself - in fact, I actively avoided it like the plague barring this very event that I was forced to play - but the game itself seems a lot more interesting to watch in person than it does from the other side of a television screen.

“Back,” I tell Lulu as I find my seat and sit down again. “This stadium is really nice...I’ve never seen one quite this big before.”

“Not even in your homeworld?” Lulu asks, to which I shake my head.

“Not even there,” I reply, suddenly frowning. “Since when do you believe my story, anyway?”

“I’m...trying to keep an open mind,” she replies, turning her attention back to the game. “Wakka still hasn’t reentered the game.”

“He’s probably trying to rest up a bit more after that first half. They took it really hard on him...but I think they’re about to get their just desserts.”

“Their ‘just desserts’?” Lulu asks, looking confused. Resisting the urge to kick myself for forgetting something obvious, I just nod.

“It’s a saying from my world. It means that someone is about to get what they deserve, basically. The way these guys treated Wakka and the Aurochs in the first half...I think Tidus is about to teach them a lesson on how to really play blitzball.”

If it wasn’t for the thousands of screaming fans and hundreds of yards separating us, I’d almost think that Tidus could hear me. Two defenders start to go for Tidus in an attempt to block him as he breaks for the goal only to have Tidus kick the ball not at the goal, but at one of the defenders. I can see the ball bounce off the chest of the Goers’ defender as he advances, stopping him in his tracks and dazing him for a moment as Tidus regains control of the ball only for Tidus to knock it back at the other defender immediately after. That defender seems to have a moment to react, but it only gives him enough time to throw up his arms to block the flying blitzball as Tidus sets up for his next move. Tidus’ body suddenly rockets upward as he tracks the rising ball ricocheting away from the Goers’ defender, and he starts to spin rapidly as I watch, far faster than I expected anyone to be able to in the sphere pool. Like lightning, he stops and levels a blistering spinning kick directly into the blitzball as it crosses his path, sending it tearing through the water towards the opposite goal at a speed that even seems to give his teammates pause as they watch. The Goers’ goalie starts to move, but the ball is in the back of the goal almost before the goalie is fully aware of the path it’s taking.

“Holy...” I breathe, watching as the crowd explodes into fanatic cheering. “That’s insane...how can he even do that...?”

“Maybe he really is as good as he claims,” Lulu says. “Wakka clearly believes in him.”

“That’s for sure. But if Tidus loses this game after pulling off a shot like that? I will never let him live this down,” I reply jokingly. With the second half starting to tick down and the Aurochs up by one, not to mention having Tidus in the pool, the Goers are starting to seem a little antsy.

“Wak-ka! Wak-ka! Wak-ka!”

The sudden crowd chant catches me off guard as I look around, distracted from the game for a second. The entire crowd - at least, the Aurochs’ fans - are starting to chant Wakka’s name, apparently wanting to see him get back into the game to help close things out.

“I don’t believe it, Jimma! The crowd is going crazy out here - they want the Aurochs’ captain back in the pool! I’ve never seen anything like this!”

“They’re getting desperate now,” I mention to Lulu, grinning. “The Goers, I mean. They don’t seem all that used to someone giving them a good match.” The cheers only intensify as the Aurochs call for a time-out, followed by Wakka swimming back into the sphere pool as another of the Auroch players exits. My thoughts start to drift away from the game as I watch, still idly paying attention but not really focused on what’s happening. There haven’t been any signs of Sin or its spawn, or any kind of fiends, and I’m hoping that if my presence changes anything here it will change this particular event for the better.

As the seconds tick down, I can see the Goers’ offense getting more and more frantic, with them even pulling the goalie out of position to try and get an edge over the Aurochs’ defensive players. With both Tidus and Wakka on the field now, however, the Goers seem to have finally met their match, and Tidus in particular seems to be enjoying himself immensely, playing defense with the same grace and smoothness that he struck with on the offensive earlier. The final thirty seconds are all-out desperation by the Goers, but one wrong move gives Wakka the chance to swipe the ball away from an intended shooter, sealing the Goers’ fate for good as the final buzzer sounds.

“Unbelievable! Absolutely, positively unbelievable, Bobba! The Aurochs win! The Aurochs have beaten the Goers, two to one! This is historic!”

“This has been nothing short of a miracle, Jimma! I never thought I would see the day that the Besaid Aurochs would take the Luca Cup once again!”

Fans all around us are on their feet, and with the Aurochs celebrating in the sphere pool I decide to start trying to head closer to the locker room area. Since I haven’t seen any sign of Yuna or Kimahri in the crowd anywhere, I figure that my best bet at the moment would just be to meet up with Tidus and Wakka after the game, then wait for them outside after we leave the stadium.

“Coming, Lulu?” I ask, looking back at the mage as fans start to file out of the stands all around me. She gives a short nod as she stands up, stepping out into the aisle.

That’s when I hear the screams start.

I can’t immediately see the cause for a few seconds, but amidst the rushing throngs of people now running to get to the exits and away from the threat, I can just faintly spot fiends appearing on the rings between each level of seating.

“Where are they coming from?” Lulu asks, looking around at the panicked spectators now fleeing the area.

“I don’t know!” I reply, reaching for the blade at my hip. “Even with everything I know about this world, I never figured that one out!”

“You knew this would happen?”

“I hoped it wouldn’t, but it looks like I was wrong,” I reply, nodding. “I thought I might’ve changed more than I expected.” Shaking my head, I start to head up the stairs to the nearest landing, sword in hand as I start trying to get a handle on the situation. “That doesn’t matter right now, though - we’ve gotta get rid of these things before they do any more damage!”

I never thought that I would ever want the use of Scan magic so badly, but with so much on the line here, every bit of knowledge that I don’t have feels like something that could wind up making things worse. I can remember the basics of the early-game enemies here - if it flies, it’s probably weak to Thunder magic, dragon-like fiends need strong weapons like Auron’s or Kimahri’s to do damage to, etcetera - but I’m starting to wonder just how much will actually be the same, and how much of my game knowledge I can really trust when it comes to things like enemies showing up in places, items I might be able to acquire, even major game events.

I can recognize some of the enemies near me as some of the common fiends that we saw in Besaid - Dingos, Condors, and Water Flan - as well as a few from Kilika like Yellow Elements and the plant-like Ragoras. I can also see that Tidus and Wakka are fighting off some aquatic fiends in the sphere pool, so I can’t count on them for help, and Yuna and Kimahri are still nowhere to be found. For the moment, it’s just me and Lulu.

‘Great...when I’m playing the tank character, there’s a real problem. I’m not meant for this...’

Taking a deep breath, I start to ready myself for what I’m about to do. Typically in games, when I run across a situation where I don’t have a good defensive ability, I use the only tactic that seems to make sense to me.

Force. Overwhelming force.

After all, they can’t hit you back if they’re bleeding on the ground.

_(Play: Fight! - Yuki Kajiura, Sword Art Online)_

“Lulu, cover me!” I yell back, focusing and casting Haste on myself as the nearby fiends start to notice that I’m not running away like all the other humans around. A nearby Dingo is the first one to lunge for me, but the enhancing magic over my body makes it look like it’s moving through molasses from my point of view. A quick sidestep and slash opens its neck up, taking care of it in one movement as a pair of Condors dive down towards me. Thankfully, Lulu is quick to react and immolates one of the two in a burst of Fire, embers from the burning avian striking its comrade and causing it to fly away again in panic. Something hard strikes me in the back as I prepare to move again, sending me tumbling across the ground with my shirt soaked, and the offending Water Flan starts to slither away into a better position to continue the magical barrage before Lulu evaporates it as well with a well-aimed Thunder spell.

“Thanks!” I tell Lulu, right before noticing that the Condor she drove away a few seconds earlier is now back on the attack and aiming for her. Without thinking, I dart towards her and leap up onto the back of one of the stiff stadium seats, boosting myself into the air in time to impale the flyer on my sword’s blade almost up to the hilt. Pyreflies cover me as I land again, flowing away from the remnants of the fiend as I rejoin Lulu and retake my stance.

“There are too many for us to deal with alone,” Lulu says. “We need to find Yuna and Kimahri.”

“Yeah, but...” I start, looking around the stadium. “They could be all the way on the other side for all we know.”

“Then we’ll just have to make our way there,” she replies.

“Well, you’ve got a point,” I say with a shrug, turning to Lulu and calling up magic again. The Haste spell settles over Lulu much as it had me, and I start to make my way around the ring of seating with the mage at my heels. With both of us focused on moving instead of fighting, most of the fiends are leaving us alone for the moment, preferring to either try and catch slower prey or just...roaming. It’s strange to see the fiends acting lost, to put it simply, but I’m certainly not going to complain about a lack of confrontation in this situation.

Sudden movement in front of me causes me to skid to a stop as my lack of attention to my immediate surroundings almost gets me hit by some kind of clawed foot the size of a dinner plate. It passes by my side as I twist out of the way, coming to a stop behind the offending fiend as Lulu stops in front of it. The fiend is burly, standing chest-high on four thick, clawed limbs covered in mottled brown scales, with a head featuring four orange eyes and a blunt horn that almost looks like it was sawed off halfway up.

“...And that’s a Vouivre,” I mutter to myself, taking up a defensive stance. Just what I didn’t want to run into - I know that my sword likely won’t do anything to it, and it has good magic defense to boot, meaning that I can’t even count on Lulu’s magic to do much of anything either. For a moment, the fiend looks between the two of us as if deciding which of us is the bigger threat before finally turning to Lulu, setting its feet firmly and unleashing a gout of fire from its mouth. Lulu manages to twist away from most of the flame, but some of it still scorches the side of her dress as she dodges.

“Hey, leave her alone!” I yell, raising my sword with both hands as icy blue energy starts to shimmer around it. The Haste wears off of my body as my sword crashes into the back of the fiend...and does absolutely nothing at all besides cause it to look back at me and snort menacingly.

“...Uh oh.”

This time, the meaty clawed foot doesn’t miss, and I can feel my entire body go numb for an instant as the fiend’s attack crashes into my hasty block, lifting me off my feet and tossing me back onto the metal landing. My eyes refocus as I roll onto my back only to have the fiend step up to me and lift one massive leg, preparing to crush me underfoot. A blast of icy magic suddenly smashes into the side of the Vouivre, courtesy of Lulu, and it snorts again as it turns and belches another fireball in her direction to keep her occupied. The Vouivre’s foot smashes into the metal flooring as I scramble out from under it, getting back to a crouch and trying to recast the Haste enchantment over myself, but this time it decides to shoot a fireball at me instead. The impact sends me back into a row of seats, bouncing off the unyielding metal to land back on the ground with my entire chest feeling like it’s burning - thankfully, I’m not actually on fire, I notice through the haze of pain. Dimly, I can see the dragon-like fiend stalking closer to me even as Lulu casts more Blizzard magic at it, trying to draw its attention away.

“This thing’s gonna kill me...and I can’t do anything about it...”

_(End: Fight! - Yuki Kajiura, Sword Art Online)_

I’ve never had a near-death experience before, but for all that everyone talks about seeing the great beyond or having their life flash before their eyes, for me there’s just...nothing. No bright tunnel of light, no reminiscing about happy thoughts, just...things fading into silence, like nothing matters anymore except this one moment in time.

Just when I’m about to give up, though, there’s a screech like a demon clawing its way out of the pits of Hell towards freedom, and I have to shield my eyes from an eye-searingly bright flash of light that erupts at the fiend’s feet.

“What the...?!”

Daring to open my eyes, I squint towards where the fiend was in front of me only to see a rapidly-dispersing cloud of pyreflies and a scorch mark under where it was standing.

“Are you hurt?”

The voice that my ears hear isn’t Lulu’s, and it takes me a few seconds to realize who I’m hearing before I stand back up, looking around to see the absolute last person I thought I would come to my rescue.

Maester Seymour Guado.


	16. Memories

Ben had thought upon coming to Spira that he would be fairly well-suited for an experience like the one he had chosen to face. While not overly athletic, he was energetic and agile enough to keep up with the others he traveled with. He was quite intelligent, enough so to keep himself out of most trouble with quick thinking and careful planning. Most importantly, having knowledge of the entire game and its twists and turns should have been enough to keep him one step ahead of the curve and give him enough foresight to properly prepare for what lay in store.

With three simple, innocuous words, Maester Seymour Guado had sent all of those thoughts crashing down around his head like so much broken glass.

“No...I’m fine,” he finally replied, the question taking a few moments to process due to the sheer unexpectedness of it and the identity of his savior. “Thank you, Maester Seymour.”

He didn’t have to act to try and keep his composure in front of the future treacherous leader of the Guado - the simple act of being rescued in and of itself caused him enough confusion and uncertainty that he couldn’t even think about the Maester’s future aims. His thoughts were broken moments later by another ear-splitting screech from afar, causing him to turn and take in the full form of his other savior. Seymour’s Aeon was a massive monster, thirty or forty feet tall at least with a skeletal humanoid form draped in cloth and covered in chains. The chains kept its gaunt, emaciated arms crossed tightly over its exposed ribcage, with only its wrists free to move, and the blue shawl around its body and tan covering over most of its head and face kept the majority of its form concealed. Still, there was no mistaking the Aeon’s form.

Anima, the Aeon of the temple of Baaj, struggled against the metallic bindings again before turning its lone exposed eye towards an approaching group of flying fiends. Its head reared back as energy started to build around the eye, and it jerked shakily as a beam of energy lanced out from the eye towards its foes, incinerating one of the flyers before repeating on the next two nearby its first target. The rest flew away in fear upon seeing three of their kind burned to ash, Anima’s haunting wail trailing their retreat as they chose self-preservation over a potential meal.

“Summoner - where are your guardians?” Seymour asked Ben, eyeing him curiously as Lulu walked over to rejoin the two of them.

“I only have one - his name’s Tidus,” Ben responded, pointing towards the sphere pool. “He was out there in the pool when all this started. But I was traveling with Lady Yuna and her guardians, and the rest of them are on the other side of the arena. Lulu is the only one who stayed with me,” he explained, gesturing towards the black-clad woman.

“Then we will fight our way across,” Seymour said, causing Ben to nod and tiredly raise his sword again. Ben started to recast _Haste_ magic on himself, but found himself unable to do so as something deep within him protested the action with a feeling of drained exhaustion.

 _‘I must be out of mana,’_ he thought to himself, pausing momentarily as they began to move to grab some faintly-glowing spheres from the fiends that had been destroyed around them. _‘And I don’t have any Ethers or anything...not to mention that there’s no such thing as save points in an actual world. I wonder if it’ll just regenerate over time, then?’_

He could still see hordes of fiends everywhere around them as they made their way across the stands, but it seemed like Anima’s mere presence was cowing a large portion of them into submission, freezing them in fear with the idea of being the Aeon’s next victim even as the Aeon began to fire more bolts of energy down towards the remaining fiends. He could also see more and more people rising up against the fiends, most of whom were wearing the distinct colors and outfits of Luca guardsmen, likely stationed in the stadium both for security and the ever-present threat of this very occurrence. The few fiends that tried to approach them as they moved were immediately incinerated either by Anima’s magical attacks or magic from Maester Seymour himself, and Ben’s mind started to return to its prior train of thought as he let himself take some comfort in the temporary protection.

Namely, why in the world someone like Seymour Guado would bother saving him _at all._ His familiarity with the game - characters, enemies, mechanics, and everything in-between - was a bit fuzzy, he realized, but the fact that Seymour was one of the strongest _enemies_ in the game was something that was unmistakably clear to him. Why, then, would Seymour bother to save someone like him when he could simply have let him die to the fiends, claiming an inability to help due to being elsewhere helping others? A fledgling summoner from a forgettable island would be nothing more than another casualty to list, particularly since Lady Yuna and her guardians were Seymour’s real prizes and objective to begin with.

 _‘...How much have I really changed by coming here?’_ Ben thought to himself, leaping over a bleacher to a lower section in order to continue following Seymour. _‘I never really thought about it much before, but I could have literally changed the entire game the moment I showed up in Zanarkand just by existing. What if Seymour’s motives are different because of me? For that matter, can I even keep assuming that things are going to go the same now?’_

His foot caught on a piece of metal as his mind wandered, nearly sending him off his feet if not for Lulu’s timely intervention, and he said a quick thanks to the mage as they kept going, making sure to pay at least a bit more attention to his footing. Whatever misgivings he had about Seymour himself, he thought to himself, he may as well put them aside for now, especially given the Maester’s help at the present moment. Whether Seymour would turn out to be the same would be something to keep in mind, but he didn’t see any real reason to distrust him for now.

Not that he wouldn’t be watching Seymour like a hawk, he knew. After all, he didn’t have to _trust_ Seymour, either - only graciously accept his help for now.

It took another minute or two of careful running and jumping, but Ben finally caught sight of Yuna approaching the three of them, flanked on either side by Tidus, Wakka, Kimahri, and a newly-arrived Auron. The fiends around them had thinned out now to almost nothing, with Anima and Seymour’s careful yet constant attacks along with the multitude of Luca guardsmen and Yuna’s own guardians whittling them down little by little until the few remaining had finally chosen to flee.

“Yuna!” Ben yelled, waving to the summoner and finally letting out a sigh of relief as he saw that everyone seemed to be okay.

“You okay?” Tidus yelled back, waving back at Ben and Lulu and causing Ben to nod as they finally rejoined the others.

“Tired and a little bruised, but we’ll live,” Ben said. “What about you guys?”

“We’re okay,” Tidus remarked, glancing over at Yuna with a smile. “You should’ve seen it - one minute, we’re in the pool, and the next - bam - fiends everywhere, even in there with us!”

“You aren’t hurt, then?” Lulu asked Yuna, looking for all the world like a mother fretting over her child.

“I’m okay, Lulu - Sir Auron was there to help protect me,” Yuna replied, smiling and looking over towards the grizzled warrior monk. Lulu’s eyes widened a bit as she realized exactly who she was looking at, and she did the prayer gesture out of respect as Auron seemed to take stock of her.

“There’s no need for that - I’m hardly someone worth praying to,” he commented.

“Anyone who traveled with Lord Braska is worthy of respect,” Lulu replied, shaking her head.

“He’s going to come with us, too,” Tidus said, grinning. “Said something about Yuna’s old man liking the idea.”

“Hey, hey, brudda - show a little respect for Lord Braska, eh?” Wakka cut in, lightly punching Tidus in the shoulder. “Yuna’s father was a great summoner - one of the greatest!”

“Okay, okay, lay off, Wakka!” Tidus said with a laugh. “Sorry, Yuna - I didn’t mean it.”

“It’s okay,” Yuna said, smiling. “I’m sure that my father would think Wakka was giving him too much praise.” Still keeping the smile on her face, she finally turned to address Seymour, who had been quiet throughout all the conversation. “Thank you, Maester Seymour, for keeping my guardians safe.” She performed the prayer gesture in thanks moments later, to which Seymour merely waved off the action as unnecessary.

“It was an honor, Lady Yuna, to assist guardians of one such as yourself. That is merely the duty of a Maester of Yevon,” he replied with equal politeness. “Your pilgrimage goes well?”

“Yes, it does. I have only just begun, but I hope to one day bring the Calm as my father once did...to bring hope back to the people of Spira.”

“A fine answer - Lord Braska would surely be proud,” Seymour remarked, nodding lightly. “Regretfully, I must be off; I have duties that must be attended to now. I hope that we meet again, Lady Yuna.”

“Thank you, Maester Seymour,” Yuna said, bowing politely as Seymour performed the prayer gesture before turning to leave. As he began to walk away, the towering form of Anima dispersed into pyreflies that faded away into the air, leaving the group of guardians and summoners now that Seymour seemed to be sure that the area was no longer under threat.

Ben hadn’t said a word throughout the entire exchange, and his posture had been stiff and guarded as he watched Seymour speak with Yuna. Only once Seymour was out of sight did he allow himself to finally relax, still wondering exactly what the Maester’s true motives - if such a thing even existed - really were.

“You okay, brudda?” Wakka said, snapping Ben from his daze as he clapped a hand down on the smaller boy’s shoulder. “Not zoning out on us, ya?”

“Yeah, yeah...I’m okay, Wakka,” Ben said, nodding and trying to put aside his jumbled thoughts for another time. “Oh, hey - congratulations!” he added after a minute, nudging the blitzballer in the shoulder. “How’s it feel to be the champs after all this time, eh?”

Wakka’s grin was big and bright enough to drown out all the misery that they had just been through, and he let out a laugh that was probably the biggest Ben had ever heard from the Aurochs’ captain. “Feels good, ya? All this time, all these years, and the _Goers_ of all teams...I never thought we’d get to put them in their place, brudda!”

He reached over and grabbed Tidus around the shoulders with one arm, dragging him over despite his protest. “And this guy - I’ve never seen moves like that in the pool, ya? They never saw it comin’ when we let him out there!”

“Hey, cut it out, Wakka...!” Tidus said, shoving the larger man’s arm off of him but laughing all the while. “I told you - I’m the best, and I was gonna go out there and _prove_ it!”

Ben chuckled at Tidus’ words - for just a moment, he sounded exactly like his father. “You definitely did _that,_ Tidus - in spades.”

“Huh?”

“Ah...skip it,” Ben said, resisting the urge to sigh as he remembered that Tidus wouldn’t actually know what the saying meant. “You two went out there and trashed the Goers, and that’s definitely something to be proud of.”

“We should be off,” Auron suddenly cut in, looking over at the rest of the group. “The people here are safe, and Yuna’s pilgrimage must continue.”

“Yes, of course,” Yuna said, nodding at Auron’s words.

“Where are we going next?” Tidus asked, looking between Auron and Yuna in expectation.

“The Mi’ihen Highroad,” Lulu said, folding her arms. “It will lead us to the temple of Djose, where the fayth Ixion slumbers.”

Inwardly, Ben had to resist the urge to groan. The Mi’ihen Highroad was long and - for the most part - rather uneventful, nothing more than a lengthy stretch of road that connected the city of Luca with Mushroom Rock Road and Djose Temple. Combined with the all too frequent enemy encounters in game and the tedium of screen after screen of relatively dull and similar scenery, it was a location he’d hated to travel through every time he’d played the game.

 _‘I guess patience is a big part of being a summoner, too,’_ he thought to himself, following Yuna and Lulu as they began to lead the way back out of the stadium.

* * *

Ben wasn’t sure exactly _why_ he thought his idea would work, but true to form, he wasn’t going to let it pass without giving it a try.

On their way out of town, Tidus had called attention to a building that Ben had all but forgotten about. The Sphere Theater was on the outskirts of Luca, a towering building of primarily white color with an accent of blue crystal that resembled nothing as much as a bird’s beak and was easily visible from the long stretch of open road that was the final exit from town leading onto the Mi’ihen Highroad. When Tidus had asked about it he had been given the simple explanation by Auron and Lulu - namely, that it was a place to record memories onto a sphere so that they wouldn’t be lost if something happened to the person they belonged to. Most often, this was used by summoners on their travels to have something for others to remember them by if something happened to them, but Ben had gotten an inkling of a thought as they passed by it that had caused him to ask if he could visit.

Nothing in that explanation had said that the memories had to be _Spiran_ in nature, after all. After a few moments of discussion he had convinced everyone to give him a few minutes of time to visit the theater, and he felt his nerves start to jitter as he walked inside the building, still unsure if he was doing the right thing.

“Welcome to the Sphere Theater!” the receptionist said as Ben stepped inside, causing him to turn towards the woman behind the counter. “Did you come to record memories of your travels on a movie sphere?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Well then, just follow me to the recording area, and we can get started,” she replied, stepping from behind the counter and motioning for Ben to follow her down one of the halls in the building. Ben just nodded and followed, falling into step behind the woman as she moved a short distance down the hallway and stopped, turning to open a door to a room on her right. Ben started to follow her inside, but stopped at the doorway to take a look before entering.

The entire room was well-lit, but it was almost entirely plain and barren to his surprise. The only items inside were a small wooden table and pair of chairs, one on either side of the table, along with a large cabinet of shelves that seemed stocked with blank spheres. Aside from that, there were no decorative items at all beyond some colorful designs and murals on the walls inside.

“So...how does this work, exactly?” he asked as he stepped inside, letting the door shut behind him as he started to move towards one of the chairs at the table. The receptionist stepped over and pulled a small, unlit sphere from one of the shelves before turning and sitting down at the other chair at the table.

“Movie spheres come from your memories,” the attendant said, placing the sphere on the table. “Here, we use magic to record your memories onto a sphere, preserving them for safe-keeping.”

“I’ve never done this before,” Ben said, shaking his head. “How many memories can one sphere hold?”

“It depends on how long the memory itself is,” she explained. “You can record multiple memories on the same sphere if they are short enough, but a long memory may require more than one sphere to hold fully. It’s hard to say exactly, to be honest.”

“I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem,” Ben said, nodding. “This should only be a few minutes’ worth at most.”

The attendant nodded politely before pressing a button inset on the gold ring of the sphere, causing it to slowly fade to a brighter blue color. “Are you ready to begin?” she asked, receiving a nod from Ben in return. “All you need to do is focus on the memory you want to record, then tell me to start. Play the memory through in your mind, change memories, anything you want, and then tell me to stop when you’re finished.”

“Simple enough,” Ben replied, closing his eyes and trying to clear his mind. He took a few seconds to relax as he tried to focus on the exact memories he wanted to show the others, and finally took a deep breath before opening his eyes again. “Okay...I think I’m ready. Go ahead.”

Nothing seemed to happen at first - no grand gestures, no incantations, nothing to indicate that _anything_ at all was happening for several long seconds. Just as Ben started to wonder what the woman was going to do, he could see wisps of... _something_ trailing away from the woman’s body. They weren’t pyreflies, more like thin trails of energy that floated around and through where the both of them were seated. Silently, Ben closed his eyes again and started to play the first memory through in his mind, memories of a happier time for him and his family before everything started to unravel.

* * *

“So, what did you want to show us?” Tidus asked Ben, walking beside him as they continued heading out of town and towards the Mi’ihen Highroad.

“Proof,” Ben replied simply, turning and walking down a small set of stone stairs towards a more secluded area. It held a few benches for resting, but little else, bordering the small stream that flowed underneath the bridge they had just crossed. “That I’m from where I say I am, I mean.” He sat down calmly on one of the benches, taking out the small sphere he had recorded before as everyone gathered around him to watch.

“What did you record, brudda?” Wakka asked, causing Ben to nod.

“Just...a few of my memories from childhood, along with one other important thing. Nothing special, but enough to prove that I’m...not from this world.”

He fumbled with the sphere for a few moments, looking it over as he tried to find the button he remembered seeing the theater attendant press to begin the recording, and finally pressed the tiny button as he sat the sphere on his lap to let it begin playing for everyone around him.

* * *

_“Benji! Are you out here?”_

_A woman’s voice echoed through the relatively large yard in front of a small, single-story brick house, a middle-aged blond woman in a large t-shirt and jeans the source of the yell as she looked around outside for the one she’d called._

_“Coming, mom!”_

_The sphere’s view started to climb down the branches of the tall magnolia tree that the owner of the voice - a younger Ben - had climbed into, dropping down through the thick leaves and halting at the last branch before swinging down onto the dirt. Ben brushed some dirt off his shorts before taking off for the front of the house as fast as he could to show his mom that he was alright, running around the side of the red two-door truck parked outside, and his mom let out a sigh of relief as she saw him run up towards the front steps._

_“You should’ve told me you were gonna go outside,” she said, frowning as her son wandered over to the steps and watching as one of their pet cats ran over and started to rub against his leg._

_“Sorry,” he said, sitting down on the bottom step and reaching over to pick up the black and white cat. “I thought you heard me while you were in the kitchen.”_

_“Are you gonna stay here?”_

_“Yeah,” he replied, nodding as the cat started to purr in his lap._

_“Just stay where I can see you,” she said, starting to walk back inside. “Dinner’s gonna be ready soon.”_

_“I will,” he said, letting go of the cat and jumping off the step before moving around to the side and grabbing a long stick that was on the ground. The cat ran away as he started to swing the stick around like a sword, fighting off imaginary enemies as he played around in the yard, and his mother couldn’t help but laugh as she walked back inside at her son’s active imagination._

* * *

“I got into a lot of trouble as a kid,” Ben explained as the sphere played, grinning. “Mom always tried to keep me somewhere she could see me, because she never knew where I’d run off to next if she couldn’t.”

“What did your dad think?” Tidus asked, causing Ben to flinch visibly at the question.

“I...never had a dad,” he replied, looking at the ground. “Mom told me he left when I was a year old - I never really knew him all that well. My mom and grandma raised me as far back as I can remember, and I never cared all that much about not having a dad, really,” he added, looking back at the sphere.

“What was that...big metal thing, brudda? Some kind of machina?” Wakka asked, causing Ben to laugh.

“Yeah, Wakka, it is - it’s what we call an automobile. It’s basically a quick way of ground transportation. Most people in our world just call them “cars,” though.”

“So...it’s like a hover?” Yuna asked, curious.

“Pretty much. I don’t think our technology is as advanced as Spira was used to before Sin came about. We’ve only been developing machines for...a few hundred years, at most.”

* * *

_“Don’t trip, now.”_

_A white-haired woman looked back at the younger Ben as he trudged through the woods in a pair of thick rubber boots, a rifle almost as tall as him held up against his shoulder as he tried not to trip over the roots and branches underfoot. The woman looked elderly, easily around seventy years old with thick glasses and deep wrinkles on her face, but her movements were careful and precise as she stomped through the underbrush with a bag clutched in one hand._

_“I won’t,” Ben replied, keeping an eye out as he walked._

_“And watch out for snakes - they’re crawling now.”_

_He followed the woman through the woods for a minute longer before she stopped, turning aside some tree branches before kneeling down at the mouth of a long metal animal trap that was covered by the foliage. It was empty, and she reached into the bag for some scraps of food before throwing them to the back of the trap to bait it._

_“Nothing in this one, either?” Ben asked, looking disappointed. “Man...”_

_“There’s been too much rain this week,” his grandmother said, turning around and starting to head back the way they’d come. “It’s keeping everything from smelling the food.”_

* * *

“That’s my grandma,” Ben said with a grin. “We used to go out in the woods and trap animals to sell - a lot of people would pay good money depending on what we caught.”

“Was it dangerous?” Lulu asked, causing Ben to shrug.

“Not really. We only caught small things, and there’s definitely nothing like the fiends here back home, so the most we had to worry about was getting bitten by a snake since there were a lot of venomous ones out in the woods.”

“A snake?”

“Yeah, it’s...” he trailed off for a moment, realizing he didn’t have a good analogue to use to describe what it was. “Ever seen a Basilisk fiend?”

“Only drawings,” Lulu admitted.

“Think that, but only a few feet long and...no limbs. Just a worm-like thing that slithers on the ground,” he explained, going quiet again as the last part of the sphere started to play.

* * *

_Trees went by in a seemingly never-ending line of green as Ben’s mother drove down the road, only a few miles from their home on the way back from town. Ben’s eyes darted around as he took in sights he’d seen a hundred times before, glancing at his grandma in the passenger seat from his spot in the truck between them before he went back to scouring the treeline for animals. There wasn’t much traffic on the country road, even though it connected the suburbs with one of the larger cities around, and it was good weather outside as the three headed back to their house._

_Ben’s eyes wandered over as a large eighteen-wheeled container truck started to pass them, looking at the large vehicle as it went around their much smaller truck, and the view suddenly jerked as the back end of the container shoved into the front corner of their truck as it came back into their lane too early. The view started to swerve violently from left to right as the truck careened around the road, and then everything went black -_

_\- a boy’s voice yelling in fear -_

_\- the sound of snapping tree branches -_

_\- wrenching metal -_

_The view came back as abruptly as it had blacked out, a shattered windshield and crumpled truck visible as Ben slowly looked around the grove of trees the truck was now embedded in, several feet below the level of the road they had been on only moments before._

* * *

“...That was the day everything changed,” Ben said softly as the sphere turned off. “We got in an accident when I was ten. I came out okay, but...my parents were never the same. They broke a lot of bones, stayed in the hospital for a long time just healing - we don’t have magic in my world like you do here in Spira.”

It was pretty evident that he was trying not to break down as he kept going. “It got worse as time went on. My grandmother lost a leg one year from infection...I woke up one morning and my mom didn’t fully know who she was...stuff like that. My grandma died a few years later, when I was fourteen...my mom died the next year.” He stood up, putting the sphere away in his bag as he collected himself again.

“My uncle stepped in to raise me a year or two before my grandma died, but I never really have fit in all that much with his family. I’m seventeen now...it’s been two years, and I still feel alone.”

He took a deep breath as he walked past the rest of the group, back in the direction of the main path leading out of town before stopping and turning around.

“So that’s it - that’s where I’m from and who I am, as much as I could think to show. I’m here because I chose to be, because the fayth gave me a chance to do something with my life. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or even why I’m here...I just hope I can find out and make the most of that choice.”


End file.
